First Subregional meeting Mexico-Central-America and the Spanish Caribbean

1. Backgrounds

Under the forum, the first agreement was the founding of 5 subregional nodes or representations for the Latin-America and the Caribbean regions. CENVI was selected as the subregional node for Mexico-Central America and the Spanish Caribbean.

The forum for best practices through its Mexico-Central America and the Caribbean office, launched the first subregional meeting housed in Mexico City on September 29-30, October 1st, 1997.

2. The first subregional meeting in Mexico

2.1 The meeting's central goals

• The publicizing of The Forum in all the concerned countries, to promote the urban development program, with the aim of fulfilling the HABITAT II Agenda in all the countries comprised by it.

• To identify and locate institutions interested on research, planning, design, and workability on best practices oriented to the furthering development of sustainable population settlements.
  

• To make available to the public the database on UNCHS -HABITAT Best Practices as well as the one called Best Practices developed by The Technical University of Madrid, Spain.
  

• Define the criteria and proceedings for the exploration, registration and sistematization on best practices on participating countries, to promote knowledge on the subject and create a specific need for its application..
  

• To publicize the criteria for the submission of proposals on best practices 1998.
  

• To promote on specialized schools and investigation centers, the research and development of specific oriented proposals on Best Practices related to urban development and population settlements.
  

• To promote mutual cooperation between the countries and organizations involved with the aim of exchanging experiences as well as methods and techniques for the development of best practices.
  

• Organization of specialized meetings in order to learn from the assistants real examples of proven Best Practices and to make discussions based on their characteristics and experiences.
  

• To outline the subregional nodes & activities as well as work methods with the aim of promoting an information/communication Net available to all participants.
  

• Colectivelly, to devise the subregional forum future, policies, coordination activites in both: subregional and Latin American level, and most important, to design strategies for the gathering of financial funding which will make possible the continuos work and strengthening of the project.

2.2 Expected results

2.3 The participants

2.4 The work plan for the meeting

• Introduction of the participants, their institutions and organizations.
  

• Celebration of a meeting with the specific purpose of informing all the participants the Forum activities, Subregional Nodes, Databases available, and the conditions required for the submission of proposals for best practices 1998.
  

• Discussion of conceptual and methodology issues and the collective definition of a Best Practice.
  

• Under the meeting, to share experiencies and points of view on representative cases with the aim of identifying conflicting points, delicate issues, innovative solutions, financial funds, human resources and manpower, technological and material sources, as well as workplans and methods.
  

• Exchange of experiences and points of view on the subject.
  

• Definition and consensus of selected criteria to promote subregional level work and activities on the same subject, organizational and practical methods, by all the participants.
  

• Draw the related agreements on the specific guidelines for the Forum Subregional Node responsabilities and activities.

3. Introduction of the participants from institutions and organizations in Central America and the Caribbean

3.1 Participants from Central American & Caribbean organizations

• Manuel Arguello.
  Costa Rica.
  Secretary under the Council on Social Affairs.
  President of The, Bamboo Organization.
  

• Eloisa Ulibarri.
  Costa Rica.
  FUPROVI Director.
  

• Felicia Cuevas.
  Costa Rica.
  Head of the Housing and Population Settlements Ministery/ HABITAT agreement.Local Effort Program.
  

• Rene S. Cardoza.
  El Salvador.
  FUNDASAL.
  

• Hermes Marroquin.
  Guatemala.
  IDESAC.
  

• Edgard Herrera.
  Nicaragua.
  HABITAR, Architecture Department.University of Nicaragua.
  

• Genaro Flores.
  Panama.
  CEDIFA,Technological University of Panama.
  

• Edwin Quiles.
  Puerto Rico.
  Architecture Department. University of Puerto Rico.
  

• Cesar Perez.
  Santo Domingo.
  Social Investigations Department. Technological Institute of Santo Domingo.

3.2 Participants from International organizations

• Stephen Walsh.
  HABITAT for Latin America and The Caribbean.        
  

• Aura Silva.
  HABITAT Office in Mexico.
  

• Eric Vittrup.
  CERCA.
  

• Joel Audefroy.
  Habitat International Coalition HIC.
  

• Victor Delgadillo.
  Habitat International Coalition HIC.

3.3 Participants from Spanish institutions

• Miguel Angel Carrillo.
  Ministry of Public Works of Spain.
  

• Jaime Cervera.
  Architecture Department. Technical University of Madrid, Spain.

3.4. Participants from Mexican organizations and institutions

• Bertha Tello Peon.
  Research Center on Architectonic and Urban Research Coordinator under the Architecture Department. UNAM.
  

• Juan Manuel Diaz.
  Social Service Department Coordinator of the 5 de Mayo Architecture Department under Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca.
  

• Gladys Mascareno.
  Architecture Department. Autonomous University of Sinaloa.
  

• Antonio Perez Campos.
  SEDESO.
  Member of the National Preparatory Committee under HABITAT II. Collaborator in the Planning Board of the Goverment of The State of Mexico.
  

• Georgina Ramirez Sandoval.
  CASA Y CIUDAD Project Director. Member of the Architecture Department of the Metropolitan Autonomous University. Atzcapotzalco campus.
  

• Rene Coulomb.
  Projects Director of Housing and Urban Studies Center. CENVI.
  Member of the Sociologist Department of the Metropolitan Autonomous University. Atzcapotzalco campus.
  

• Alejandro Suarez Pareyon.
  Head of the Housing and Urban Studies Center. CENVI.
  Postgraduate studies in the Architecture Department. UNAM.
  

• Jesus Velasquez.
  Member of the Housing and Urban Studies Center. CENVI.
  Posgraduate studies in the Architecture Department. UNAM.
  

• Victor Castaneda.
  Member of the Housing and Urban Studies Center. CENVI
  

• Javier Bernal.
  Member of the Housing and Urban Studies Center. CENVI.
  

• Jose Manuel Lopez.
  Member of the Housing and Urban Studies Center. CENVI.
  
  
• Josef Schulte-Sasse.
  Operational Center of Housing and Population COPEVI Director.
  

• Gustavo Romero.
  Center for Solidary Development of Housing FOSOVI Head.
  

• Alfonso Luna.
  Memeber of the Center for Solidary Development of Housing. FOSOVI.
  

• Cristina Almazan.
  Coordinator of the Housing Tenants, Inhabitants and Renters Union of the state of Veracruz. UCISV-VER. Pobladores. A.C.

4. Introduction to the Forum for Best Practices. Subregional Node organization activities Mexico-Central America and the Spanish Caribbean meeting

• To promote contacts between individuals and organizations involved in the best practices theme.
  

• Reach results on problems and its possibles solutions , advancing contacts and promoting discussions between the information users and the responsibles of the Best Practices.
  

• To establish a vast net of institutions with the aim of ensuring a sound exchange of information, experiences and techniques on sustainable urban development.
  

• To improve the existing information resources and make them available to the public....."

Miguel Angel Carrillo outlined the role played by the Development Ministry of Spain, supporting the Best Practices Program before and after HABITAT II, especially the numerous activities initiated by the Forum.

Alejandro Suarez Pareyon presented the First Subregional Meeting Mexico-Central America and the Caribbean, as well as its agenda and related activities.

5. Presentation of the Database on Best Practices

The Database on Best Practices developed by the Architecture Department under the Technical University of Madrid, Spain was presented by Jaime Cervera, in charge of the the database design and operation, available to the user via Internet.

In both presentations, and once concluded an answering questions session, the meeting participants discussed issues like the database access and availabilty, and operational costs. Due to time factors, the discussion was extended, taking time from the other agenda themes.

6. Introduction to the guide for Best Practices

7. Defining a Best Practice

1. Association (or participation)- as it was suggested by a participant in the meeting, this means that the experience has to present at least two of the following entities or participants:
   
   1. national and or local governments,
      
   2. postgraduate studies and research institutes,
      
   3. professional organizations, Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
      
   4. communication media,
      
   5. private sector,
      
   6. civic leaders,
      
   7. international organizations and institutions,
      
   8. volunteer organizations.
      

2. Impressive effect.- Aimed to advance substantial improvements on inhabitants' living conditions.
   

3. Sustained effect.-This means that the improvements on living conditions are capable of being translated into the following issues:
   
   1. legislation, city regulations,
      
   2. social and sectorial policies,
      
   3. balance between social, economic, and enviroment strategies,
      
   4. institutional forums,
      
   5. decision taking bodies,
      
   6. effiective, honest and responsible management systems.

The next factors are the three additional concepts advanced by The Dubai Summit.

1. Leadership.- Related to proposals conducing to innovative activities, promoting changes and advancing of clean, responsible non excluding procedures related to decision taking activities.
   

2. Preparing the community.- Related to making the population aware of:
   
   1. the betterment of their living conditions,
      
   2. access to public assistance and resources,
      
   3. active involvement on decision taking processes,
      
   4. establishment of community organizations,
      
   5. advance a more conscious community on social and political issues.
      

3. Social participation.- Formed by proposals related to social and cultural diversification, promotion of social equity.

• To observe sustainable physical changes and improvements.
  
• Take in account the financial stability of the project.
  
• To reinforce proved experiencies which include the combination of factors.
  
• To give preeminence to the processes, better than results.
  
• Learn methods for the recognition of conflicting points and solutions.

• The results of the Special Mentions on the symposium of Best Practices of Dubai, showed that the most suitable practices still have some loose ends, which should be tackled.
  
• It is of upmost importance to have an impact on public opinion and governments, since this is the only way for the Community Based Organizations (CBO) and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to influence on public law making; this is the reason behind the significance of promoting and propagating the best practices experience.
  
• It is necessary to find a way to solve the existing contradiction between the guidelines established by InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), The World Bank and several financial institutions which impose their conditions on the related goverments, since in many ways they oppose to the contents proposed by the Guide for Best Practices.
  
• All the previous remarks show the relevance of the sound use of all the information and communication resources available which will enable a clear comprehension of the issue.

8. Presentation of actual cases of Best Practices uses

8.1 Designing a Better Practice. UCISV-VER and CENVI cases

UCISV-VER was established in Xalapa in 1984 with the aim of promoting ways of dealing in a healthy way with the housing problem, especially for a big sector of society-in the lowest income inhabitants. Since its start, the UCISV-VER has made several proposals, most of them turned into real projects benefitting more than 300 families in several cities in Veracruz state. It has also launched public assistance and health programs, as well as culture, economic, and recreational projects with the only aim of finding new ways of sustainable development balancing enviromental, social, urban, and economic issues.

The organization aim could be resumed in the following phrase: to make "popular, urban, productive, ecological settlements".

On the other hand, CENVI is a NGO founded in Mexico City in 1979, specialized in popular settlements issues, as well as urban development, it is also compromised to the planning, promoting and designing alternative ways to solve human settlement problems.

In 1990, both organizations started joint activities launching programs on participative urban planning with the goal of identifying and solving specific problems, as well as proposing solutions for the betterment of human settlings specifically the ones located in the suburbs of the city of Xalapa.

The joint activities of the organizations started since the low income communities would not get enough response from the authorities. The plan made by UCISV-VER and CENVI showed that an organized society is able to propose solutions that can benefit the whole society and city. The plan results were first made avalaible to the public on 1992, from there the communities proposed the plan to the municipal and state authorities. It would be fair to say that now, 1997, the results had not been an entire success, still the major goal was attained, the authorities granted access to the land reservoir of the city to build their housing project.

At the present UCISV-VER and CENVI are working on a similar housing program for the city of Xalapa.

8.2 Costa Rica's experience on Best Practices

Manuel Arguello has started this in his speech summarizing Costa Rica's social, geographic, economic and political issues. Later he explained the way social policies have been improved to tackle housing problems. He particularly explained the case of the National Financial System for Housing, since 1980 to 1996. This made a clearer understanding of the cases exposed later on about FUNBAMBU and FUPROVI.

FUNBAMBU esperience on Best Practices

Bamboo Organization FUNBAMBU was one of the one hundred Best Practices choosen by HABITAT II. This is a project jointly launched by Costa Rica's Government, International Cooperation Ministery of Netherlands, and United Nations Program for the Development.

This case was presented in a video which dealt in detail with all the planning, research, planting and production of the bamboo plant, as well as its industrialization and manufacturing processes and uses in house building, furniture, appliances, etc.

FUPROVI experience on Best Practices

Organization for the Promotion of Housing or FUPROVI is a Costa Rican NGO oriented to the promotion and supporing of housing through community-organizations joint activities.
It's program called "Urban Popular Housing Program" was also selected as one of one hundred Best Practices by HABITAT II.The main issue in this case was to find a suitable methodology to define a best practice, which guidelines were discussed by all the participants and are the following:

• Widecovering.
  
• Sustaining.
  
• Impacting.
  
• Balanced with all the sectors involved.
  
• Influential to public policies.
  
• Furthering concerned institutions.
  
• Promoting society and all the involved participation.
  
• Promoting training and qualification.
  
• Resourceful.
  
• Redesignable and replicated.

8.3 CERCA, Resource centre for the sustainable development of human settlements in Central America

Eric Vittrup, Regional Coordinator of the Program, explained the backgrounds of CERCA talking about the HABITAT I Forum celebrated in Vancouver, B.C, on 1976, as part of the initiatives launched by UNO to develop human settlements.

CERCA's main goal is to develop and propose participative strategies to fight proverty and make human settlements more sustainable in all the countries comprised in Central America.

CERCA acts as a mediator between the following groups:

1. CCVAH Central American Council for Human Settlements and Housing (ministeries of Housing and urban development of Central America).
   

2. FEMICA Federation of Municipalities of Central America .
   

3. FECOC Federation of Communal Organizations of Central America.

• ALIANZA where the politics of the region converge, establishing and operative alliance between national governments, municipalities and communal organizations.
  
• SISCOM. Is the communication and information system available to all CERCA associates, it operates via Internet.
  
• PROCOMUN is devoted to the qualification and training with the aim of obtaining authorizitations from local authorites for housing development.
  
• INVESTIGA research and action on local development management.
  
• COGESTION Provides technical assistance for the design, operation and put in practice of participative strategiy for human settlements.

9. Shaaring experiences by the meeting's participants

Thirty years ago a group of volunteers and professionals which had a common interest on Guatemala's social problems, realize the importance of expressing the needs of the public society in an organized and sound way, the next step was the establishment of several non governmental organizations, as IDESAC.

As a result of the national compromises comprised on the peace accords, the Guatemalan government made a commitment to grant, as of 1997, 1.5 per cent of the national budget to the development of housing, particularly popular housing, this under the supervision of several institutions and organizations. Now the succes of the accords it depends on a sound collaboration and involvement between public institutions, universities, and non governmental organizations.

IDESAC has a true interest on taking part of such process, in accordance it organized meeting and simposiums jointly with other institutions with the aim of advancing a housing program in accordance with the needs of the under-developed sectors of the population.

Multidisciplinary advisory activities on local government levels.
MEXICO.
Antonio Perez Campos

On a personal basis, that is leaving aside institutional representation, Antonio Perez Campos presented an interdisciplinary advisory experience, a case of joint work from a state university and the community of Nuevo Urecho district, state of Michoacan, located on what it is called "the arid region" of Mexico.

This community inhabitants live under extremely poor conditions, lacking of most everything, especially water for human consumption, and farm production. There has been many efforts on improving the community's situation.

Local autorithies in Nuevo Urecho, asked advise from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, UNAM, experts on diagnosis and proposals for aliviating the poverty reigning in the area.

The multidisciplinary group's innovative proposals included the submission of an extensive Agenda 21 for the district with the main goal of restoring the natural balance between the inhabitants and the environment, and at the same time promote economic and social development.

Land Legalization Program.
HABITAR, NICARAGUA.
Edgard Herrera.

Edgard Herrera presented the experience of HABITAR, a Nicaraguan non governmental organization in charge of the Land Legalization Program applied on the west section of Managua. The program was awarded the honor of being one of the One Hundred Best Practices 1996.

Putting into effect the 1990 Regulation, The Land Legalization Program embarked on the land reform of 360 community settlements all over the country, 300 of them located in Managua, with an average population of 300 each.

HABITAR took development of the west section of Managua, considered the most populated area recorded in the city. HABITAR advanced The Land Legalization Program within the framework of "Women, Human Settlings and Environment Program", an extensive development project for the betterment of the living conditions of the community. The project includes legalization of the ownership of the land, urban planning, community health and social assistance, improvement of basic human infrastructure.

Under The Land Legalization Program the Community Action Movement played a basic role, taking part on the negotiation process.

HABITAR provides consultory expertise to the communities grouped under the Community Action Movement, offering advise on design and communtary planning, legal asisstance, and support. HABITAR also acts as a bridge between the community and the goverment offices in charge of the land legalization.

Research Centre of the architecture department CEDIFA under The University of Panama.
Panama.
Genaro Flores.

CEDIFA was founded fifteen years ago under the Architecture Department of the University of Panama. Since its begginings it embarked on the creation of a database and promoting research on the fields of urban and regional planning, housing, transport, environment, sound technologies, etc. It also provides consulting services to the University, government agencies and private sector.

CEDIFA is engaged in research projects jointly with several international institutions, like The International Center for Research Development of Canada, and Red XIVb "Living and Building" under CYTED.

CEDIFA is in charge of developing specialized research on the housing issue in urban, poor and underdeveloped communities and the center's students work on thesis over related subjects, like sustainable urban development, underdeveloped human settlings, rural development, and effective technologies, on this last one there has been several innovative proposals for the use of alternative construction materials and technologies.

In the other hand, CEDIFA also holds seminars, meetings, conferences and discussions both on national and international levels, on the related fields. Also, the center took part on the Preparatory National Committee for HABITAT II.

Architecture Department under The Autonomous University of Sinaloa. Mexico.
Gladys Mascareno.

The involvement of the Architecture Department of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa on the research of urban and settlement related issues started on a teaching coincidence. The interest formed part of the alumnni projects on "real preocupying population issues" one of the most important problems in the region.

Sinaloa is a high contrast state located in the north east part of the country, as it shows extreme richnness it also suffers from extreme poverty.

Due to circumstancial reasons the Architecture Department working jointly with the National Institute of Antropology and History INAH, "the government body in charge of the nation's cultural heritage, inititated studies on registration and conservation of the Historic Centers of the Colonial cities of the northern and north east regions of Mexico. This juncture allowed the scholars the opportunity of throughly study the modernization effects on thearchitectonic and urban transformations of the cities.

Based on those experiences the university was able to sign consulting agreements with local governments for the advancing of urban development plans and programs. At the present time the university signed an agreement with the Culiacan, the state capital authorities, on a Development Plan for Popular Human Settlements in the east part of the city.

The postgraduate studies department of the Architecture Department of the University established an exchange program with CENVI and the Architecture Department under UNAM.


Social Service Department Coordinator of the 5 de Mayo Architecture Department under Benito Juarez Autonomous University of Oaxaca.
Mexico.
Juan Manuel Diaz

Juan Manuel Diaz is the coordinator of the Social Service Department of The Architecture Department under the Autonomous University of Oaxaca. Social service is an requisite asked to the students in order to get their degree and consists on activities related to the betterment of the community in different aspects.

Oaxaca state is one of the three most poor states of Mexico, it is crossed by a huge mountain chain which makes more difficult the use of farm land, it is also a state vast on ethnic groups and due to geoghraphic characteristics there is more than two thousand five hundred communities, as well as 500 municipalities of difficult access.

Juan Manuel Diaz presented the case of a research project and technical support to San Miguel del Progreso community, Tlaxiaco Municipality, located in the highest part of the mountain chain known as Sierra Alta de la Mixteca. It is not necessary to mention that this is one of the poorest communities.

He proposed a betterment housing program using an innovative construction system based on polyesterene foam sacks filled with dirt called "Adobolsa". This was not the first use of such a system, but still it showed good results.

Architecture School under University of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico.
Edwin Quiles.

Edwin Quiles experience was based on the creation and use of participative design methods with the aim of the community involvement in the design of their houses and common architectural spaces.

The questions he formulated were related to the following issues:

• To find ways to make more participative communties in the design of their housing spaces and areas.
  

• To find ways of training the communtiy with the aim of making it able to express their specific needs in necessary technical terms describing their houses and areas.
  

• To find ways to make people aware of the need of betterment and preservation of their living areas.

Social Research Team under Technical Institute of Santo Domingo.
Dominican Republic.
Cesar Perez.

Cesar Perez talked about the latest political and economic developments in Dominican Republic, particularly in Santo Domingo, its capital.

Since a communal or housing movement does not exist in Dominican Republic, and also because of the lack of a municipal and sector policy, the only example of conducting a best practice is El Caliche case, a program on urban and communitary betterment launched by GTZ from Germany and the Dominican Republic government.

The creation of a National Council on Urban Issues was a major step for the advancement of new urban policies in a very limited scenario.

El Caliche's experience was of upmost importance because for the first time the government gave credit to the settlement. As from then more urban betterment projects emerged, such as the depressed zone known as "Pantoja".

At the present EQUIS (Social Research Team) conducts a research on urban social movements, analyzing the project of an specific area located in the suburbs of the historic center, an area with growing population that comes from the center of the city to populate the surrounding areas.

Some achievements have been made on the municipality policies and the attention is focusing on attending the center needs in order to prevent the migration to the poor suburbs.

FUNDASAL.
El Salvador.
Rene Cardoza.

Rene Cardoza explained the case of FUNDASAl, a NGO founded 30 years ago. FUNDASAL is the responsible for the financing and creation of 30,000 houses, helping 165,000 inhabitants, or 3 % of El Salvador total population.

He also presented the case of Las Palmas urban development project.

Las Palmas is a poor settlement located between the most expensive area of San Salvador and a military base. For the last few years FUNDASAL has been working on the improvement of the settlement.

Habitat Mexico Coalition (House and City, CENVI, COPEVI, FOSOVI)
The collective presentation of six cases of joint efforts of communities and organizations for housing betterment.

This organizations presented the reunion the document "The study of six cases of joint work on housing projects with the assistance of NGO", this effort forms part of an extensive research program launched by Postgraduate Studies Department under the Architecture Department. UNAM.

The study shows the experiences of the four NGO comprised by the Habitat Mexico Coalition. This are the projects that set an example for the housing movement in Mexico supported by Social Organizations and NGO.

Rene Coulomb, from CENVI talked exhaustively about the best practices sense, analized the attitudes present by the diverse national governments which in many ocassions gave their support to bad quality projects responding to particular interests, he concluded his speech proposing the following ideas:

• A best practice is trying making things in a better way, and to achieve good results and processes which ultimately will become public policies.
  

• Then the main goal should be to succeed in the adoption of the best practices by the national governments.
  

• An easy and logic way to identify a best practice will be:
  Succesful experience=Response.

10. Debate, definition and general consensus on Best Practices

Some opinions related to the convenience of designing criteria and procedure methods in order to identify and select the best practices.

Recomendations:

• To promote the existing information on best practices, and on the Best Practice 1998 event, as well as the Best Practice Guide and the databases in order to reach all the people interesed in this subject.
  
• To promote the creation of National Comittees for Best Practices on every social level in order to get the most representaive participation possible.
  
• To promote experts' meetings, simposiums and debates with the assistance of all the social sector's representatives.
  
• To organize exhibits open to the public on better practices.
  
• To include the best practices subject in the agenda of universities and research centers.
  
• To design a suitable methodology for the subregion in order to identify and clasify the best practices.
  
• To design databases for the subregion on better practices.
  
• To define if a best practice is only a real project, that means a project built in reality and subject to an evaluation at any moment since it exists, or could also be a work plan or a program. This issue could not be answered during the reunion, since it requires more specific time for debate and discussion.

11. Outlining the criteria for the advance of the subregional work on Best Practices, ways of organization and effective work plans

• The definition of the Forum Subregional Node.
  
• Possible ways of organizing a secretariat or coordination office.
  
• The promotion of the Best Practice Event.
  
• The gathering of financial resources in order to exist.

12. Agreements on the operation of the Subregional Node

The node's secretariat will be formed by a representation of each one of the three areas: Mexico, Central america and the Caribbean.

• Mexico: CENVI (which has also the Coalicion Habitat Mexico representation).
  
• Central America: CERCA.
  
• Caribbean: Cesar Perez (NGO Coalition).

• Promote the goals and objectives of the Best Practices Forum in their respectives areas of the subregion.
  

• Promote the assistance and participation of individuals and groups involved in the identification and promotion of best practices.
  

• Establishing agreements with their respective governments with the goal of founding the National Committe for the Promotion and Selection of The Best Practice for the 1998 Event.