Everyday Renegotiations to Gentrification and Displacement in Public Space: Urban Life in the Alameda Central in the Historic Center of Mexico City

Abstract

This research examines the effects of the renovation of the Alameda Central and its surroundings in the Historic Centre of Mexico City. The article explores the experiences of homeless individuals, street vendors, street performers, and male sex workers who have managed to renegotiate the use of public space on a daily basis, as well as their interactions with police officers, gardeners, and street sweepers. Through longitudinal observations, ethnography, interviews, social media analysis and a review of urban policies, this research demonstrates that urban life in public spaces, such as the Alameda, is in constant flux, and regeneration policies have accelerated this process by excluding certain groups considered ‘undesirable’. Nevertheless, these populations have responded to gentrification and displacement by seeking continuous ways to renegotiate and adapt to the effects of these policies daily.