Local governments in Latin America have historically been heavily reliant on their national governments to meet basic needs. Without sufficient dialogue between national and local leaders, the community was even more removed from the decisions that affected their communities. Years of failed progress, as well as citizen complaints, propelled some local governments to adopt an approach that allowed for more public participation. This provide community members with a more active role in local decision-making. Certain projects have shown that there can be successful collaboration between local governments, civil society, and private partners when it comes to urban planning in Latin American communities.

The political party Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers Party) in Brazil, for example, is credited with introducing one of the most popular community planning processes in the region known as participatory budgeting. This method allows the local population to determine the city’s budget and future investments, mostly regarding infrastructure, through public debates and consults. Instituted in 1989, participatory budgeting began in select Brazilian cities, such as Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, and has now spread to other cities throughout the country.

Overall, this participatory process proved successful in the early 1990s as the number of households with access to water and garbage disposal rose by 18% and 29% respectively. The number of children attending school has also doubled. However, the greatest success from this initiative came from the increase in public participation in Porto Alegre from an average of 1,000 citizens per year in 1990 to about 40,000 in 1999. This increase in participation did not only include the middle and upper-income members but also lower-income stakeholders. This process has allowed the local government to be seen as one that is accountable and transparent.

A more recent community participatory initiative, Barrios y Comunidades de Verdad (Real Neighborhoods and Communities), was established in 2005 in the city of La Paz, Bolivia to address below-grade infrastructure.  Funded through the World Bank and implemented by the local municipality, this endeavor has benefited 45,000 people living in poor urban areas by improving the city’s basic infrastructure.  Through this initiative, the city’s poorest areas have running water, paved roads and street lighting. Inspired by the Barrios y Comunidades de Verdad project, a Guatemalan delegate is looking to use this model to sustainably develop cities in Guatemala.

These examples are only two of what are arguably considered successful community participatory initiatives. By and large, the most successful examples establish transparency and accountability through frequent, open communication with the community. Improved urban development is possible in Latin America through small-scale approaches that include community engagement with local governments.

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