The Commodification of Urbanization. The Issue of the “Urban Complexes” in Mexico

Abstract

In Mexico, state intervention in housing production has been broadly institutionalized, with a significant share of resources being assigned to promote public projects. This institutional system was radically modified between 1990 and 2000, when the “facilitator approach” was adopted, with its emphasis on financing housing and creating institutional structures. This private production focused on “urban complexes”, which define an urbanization model designed for rights holders with limited resources in commercial processes. The result has been a vast production of housing subordinated to the exchange value, leading to its deterioration.