Research

This paper studies the long-term effects of slum upgrading on exposure to natural disasters and urban growth. I study PRIMED, a large-scale program implemented in Medellin, Colombia, between 1993 and 2000 that combined neighborhood improvements with risk-mitigation infrastructure. To identify its effects, I exploit the program's incomplete rollout by comparing slums upgraded during phase I with slums from phase II that were scheduled but never treated. I find that upgrading reduces landslides during extreme rainfall events relative to untreated slums. The program also increased neighborhood population, primarily through an increase in low income residents. Housing and population density also rose, with higher growth on lower-risk land. I embed these empirical estimates in a quantitative spatial model to measure citywide welfare effects. The results indicate that slum upgrading generates welfare gains for the city, with larger gains among low skilled residents. Two mechanisms explain this: improved local fundamental amenities and reduced disaster risk exposure. However, counterfactual scenarios suggest that more frequent disasters due to climate change lead to substantial welfare losses even when the protection provided by upgrading is maintained. These findings highlight how climate change can limit the long term effectiveness of infrastructure investments within cities.

This paper describes how urban households secure water when piped networks are unreliable, using a representative sample of 2,197 households in Hargeisa, Somaliland — a rapidly growing, semi-arid city on the frontier of climate stress. Rather than relying on a single source, households assemble “patchwork” portfolios combining piped connections, tanker trucks, rainwater harvesting, and other sources, changing their composition across the dry and rainy seasons. Four findings emerge: (1) source portfolios vary widely across households and seasons; (2) unconnected households pay more and face more shortages; (3) costs and access are largely regressive; and (4) storage is a critical coping asset that poorer households cannot afford. Planned network expansion will narrow, but not eliminate, these inequalities.

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.