Densification and Stratification in Bogotá: Biased Distribution of Private Investment

Abstract

Latin American cities are known for their patterns of social segregation and spatial mismatch. However, few studies have analyzed how public policy may reproduce these patterns. Authorities implemented in Colombia a system of so-called Socio-Economic Stratification, based on the physical characteristics of the houses and their urban environment. This system aimed to facilitate the distribution of cross subsidies for the payment of utility bills. However, the public has assimilated stratification as an indicator of income and social recognition. Although there are sociological and economic studies that indicate how stratification has deficiencies, few studies explore its impact on urban development. By using mixed methods and including data about building permits and interviews, for the case of Bogotá, this analysis found that the stratification indicator determined the geographic patterns of densification of the city, rather than the objectives portrayed in the Comprehensive Plan.