The theme of urban regeneration has played a strategic role during the last two decades in European and national urban building policies. Current addresses, also defined in Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities in 2007, indentify the necessity to invest in requalification of degraded residential assets and not in new developments, individuating in urban regeneration the main tool for development of contemporary city. Public neighborhoods have developed, historically, a wide set of common problems.

A Conferência Popular pelo Direito à Cidade é resultado deste novo momento das lutas urbanas. A adesão de mais de 600 movimentos populares, entidades, coletivos, grupos de direitos humanos e acadêmicos é prova de que algo novo está nascendo. Foram 230 eventos preparatórios em todo o país, reunindo milhares de pessoas.

This paper has been compiled by Ndifuna Ukwazi following extensive consultation with practitioners and experts in housing finance, architecture, social housing, city planning, urban design, and local and provincial government.