THE GENTRIFICATION IN COSTA RICA: CONTRIBUTIONS FOR STUDY AND UNDERSTANDING

Abstract

In the absence of previous research on gentrification in Costa Rica, the objective of this article is to propose some elements of analysis to address the issue in this country. For this, the debate that exists around the concept, its application in other Latin American countries and its findings, as well as the characteristics of urban development in our country since the beginning of the 20th century is analyzed. The result is a theoretical framework and background of the subject, as well as a necessary discussion about the approach and the questions for a possible subsequent investigation. The main conclusionis that in Costa Rica there is a model of neoliberal urban governance, in which the State allows private sector action in the growth of the city, but does not directly direct orfinance it in terms of an urban governance model. business, and therefore, until now there have been no favorable conditions for urban renewal and associated processes such as gentrification in downtown areas. However, it is not ruled out that gentrification  is taking place in other conditions and with other characteristics.