Research

This paper asks whether slum upgrading can serve as a form of climate adaptation. I study PRIMED, a large-scale program implemented in Medellín, Colombia, between 1993 and 2000 that combined neighborhood improvements with risk-mitigation infrastructure. Exploiting its incomplete rollout, I estimate long-run effects on disaster risk, urban development, and welfare. I find that upgraded neighborhoods experience fewer floods and landslides during extreme rainfall events than comparable untreated slums; the estimated reduction corresponds to 49% of the pre-intervention mean. The program also reshapes urban growth: housing and population density rise in treated areas, while non-upgraded slums continue expanding into higher-risk land. These changes do not appear to reflect gentrification, as population composition remains unchanged. I then embed the empirical estimates in a quantitative spatial model to measure citywide welfare effects. The results show that slum upgrading generates welfare gains through improved local amenities and reduced environmental risk exposure, highlighting place-based infrastructure as a tool for urban development and climate resilience.

We will investigate the extent to which Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RWH) installed in households can reduce water insecurity in Mexico City, as well as the role of its regular maintenance in delivering these benefits. In our full-scale study, our first objective is to investigate whether ownership of a functioning RWH changes water consumption patterns, either by increasing the total amount of water consumed, or by reducing water demands from the network, or both. Our second objective is to investigate whether maintenance of the RWH plays a role in water capture and whether we can overcome the barriers to proper maintenance by providing training. In addition to differences in water quantity, we will measure water quality, time allocation (especially of women and youth), and expenses.

Spatial health inequities are pervasive across and within Latin American cities. This article explores the magnitude of spatial inequalities in health outcomes, their drivers, and policies that can be deployed to address them. Life expectancy, the burden of noncommunicable diseases, and, more recently, the impact of COVID-19, all exhibit large geographic disparities. These variations are correlated with individual-level socioeconomic factors, such as low schooling levels and high poverty rates. Nevertheless, spatial health inequalities are not only a reflection of the residential clustering of vulnerable individuals. Local environments themselves can improve or further deteriorate their communities' public health outcomes. These include weather conditions, public utilities, recreational infrastructure, and externalities—notably air and noise pollution. The current evidence suggests that existing policy tools available to local and national governments can be effective in creating healthier built environments, reducing and preventing negative externalities, and promoting healthier lifestyles in cities and neighborhoods.