Gentrification is currently transforming Latin American slums, but it is happening without the 'market-driven' displacement of long-term residents.
March 31, 2026
Original Paper
Displacement and Transport-induced Gentrification: What about informal settlements benefiting from accessibility improvements?
SSRN · 6495773
The Takeaway
It challenges the fundamental assumption that gentrification is inherently a conflict where one class pushes another out. The study finds 'low-income gentrifiers' moving into informal settlements, proving that urban improvement and neighborhood change can be decoupled from the forced removal of the poor.
From the abstract
Transport-induced gentrification has been increasingly studied. Residential displacement is the primary concern underlying this. More recently, scholars have begun to explore this debate in informal settlements, as they have long been a housing solution for working-class people in the Global South. This paper further advances this debate by addressing a twofold objective. First, we wonder if gentrification can unfold in Latin American slums through the entry of slightly more affluent households.