Mexico City plans to tackle gentrification after protests against mass tourism • FRANCE 24 English

The message from these protesters is clear. Gentrification equals displacement, not progress. After taking to the streets earlier this month, residents in Mexico City kept up their movement on Sunday. Many say they’ve been priced out of their neighborhoods, in part due to short-term rentals and an influx of people and businesses with higher purchasing power. What we’re demanding is a law that defends the right to be rooted and a law that defends housing as a common good. A study published last year that looked at housing in Mexico City between 2000 and 2022 found that affordability plummeted with prices in some neighborhoods increasing by eightfold all while incomes declined. Last week, Mexico City’s government announced a 14-point plan to combat the displacement of residents and businesses. Among the measures is the regulation of rental prices and creating an ombbudsman office for tenants rights. However, it’s done little to plate protesters. We’re here with the working class, with the population to demonstrate to this government that from the outside it says it supports the people, the working class, but in its actions it supports landlords, the real estate speculators, and the bankers. The march was accompanied by a heavy police presence after some people in previous demonstrations vandalized stores in wealthier neighborhoods with anti-immigration graffiti. Much of the anger has been directed towards expats from the United States, particularly those who are paid in dollars and have higher purchasing power. Activists are also bracing for when Mexico co-hosts the FIFA World Cup in 2026, which they fear could lead officials to prioritize business dealings over residents.

Protests continued in Mexico City on Sunday as residents voiced frustration over rising housing costs, blaming mass tourism and the growing presence of foreign digital nomads. Demonstrators say the government isn’t doing enough to address gentrification. In response, the city announced a preliminary plan on Wednesday, including rent controls tied to inflation and a list of “reasonable rental” options.
#Mexico #gentrification #tourism

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17 comments

  1. The same situation is happening in Medellin, Colombia. Locals can't compete with foreigners' big bank accounts.

  6. Every country poor or rich needs to watch first and most the interest of its citizens ahead of foreigners coming for any reason.

  12. Fight before Mexico City becomes another Barcelona, Ibiza, Venice, Paris, London, etc.. Ban AirBnB!

  14. lol they are mad about wealthy coming and we are mad about criminals and poor coming and destroying America. Lol will trade our wealthy living there for your criminals and poor.

  15. In Support of La Presidenta 🇲🇽As a Learner and Student of Urban Planning and Development Management. The Zoning Laws on Rent Control Regulations for Locals and setting a standard on Sectorial Regulations on Socialized Housing based on demographics of ages on locals and foreigners have greatly mobilized communities. The Preferential Zoning Laws on Historic Districts as a no rent zone for foreigners have also become now the norms. Consular Areas of each foreign community have now adopted bilateral agreements on areas which can accommodate growing foreign populations as set in Germany 🇩🇪, Netherlands 🇳🇱, Scandinavian Districts and Benelux Countries. These communities have also become a model for paralleled growth. Similar to the Chinatown Concept and the Immigration prone areas of Little Italy and Northern areas of Irish Settlers in America 🇺🇸… Singapore 🇸🇬 has long also developed the Government Socialized Housing Zones along the Areas of the early “Haka” settlers of the river banks of Ayer’s. Conversion too of Commercial Areas with Ground Floors remaining commercial set as non-residential, with the conversion as well of Top Warehouses into residential dwellings may solve the problems in housing shortage, which may foster growth and development.

  17. They want Americans to speak Spanish but when they move to America why aren't they speaking English?

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