Abstract:  This research examines urban best practices (BPs) across Latin America and the Caribbean to illuminate the prevalent issues and actions associated with these locally implemented initiatives. An analysis of 45 BPs from the UN-Habitat repository was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods, organized into three phases. The first phase focused on collecting data such as BP sources, countries of origin, and years of implementation. The second phase identified common problems and actions within the BPs. The third phase involved a cross-sectional analysis to identify significant patterns and trends. The study found that many BPs originated from the Dubai International Award for Best Practices and the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation, with a notable dominance of contributions from Brazil, followed by Argentina and Mexico, while other countries in the region had minimal or no representation. The results revealed shared challenges and commonly adopted actions across diverse BPs, transcending characteristics, locations, and implementation years. The most common issues included financial constraints, bureaucratic complexities, and deficient infrastructure, while active community engagement, collaboration with various stakeholders, and garnering political support were the most recurrent actions. This research contributes novel insights to the field by systematically analyzing real-world case studies in the region, enhancing understanding of the transferability of these practices. It also identifies key similarities that will aid policymakers and practitioners in preparing and optimizing future initiatives for greater success.

Keywords:  community development; community engagement; infrastructure improvement; public policy; social inclusion; urban development; urban governance; urban regeneration; urban resilience

Published:   13 September 2024

Issue:   Vol 9 (2024): Transformative Local Governments: Addressing Social Urban Challenges by Bringing People and Politics Together