A recent court ruling in São Paulo prohibits new constructions in specific areas affected by zoning changes, impacting 102 properties and highlighting the city's regulatory focus on housing density.
A recent interim decision by the São Paulo Court of Justice has imposed a prohibition on new construction in designated blocks of the city where zoning has been altered, impacting at least 102 properties according to the Urbanism Department under Mayor Ricardo Nunes. This move comes in the wake of heightened scrutiny regarding the verticalization of neighborhoods still characterized by single-family homes, reflecting growing concerns over urban density and housing policy.
The affected properties consist of a mix of small buildings, popular housing projects, and large residential developments, with a total of 30 small-scale constructions, 56 aimed at affordable housing, and merely 16 classified as large residential enterprises. This prohibits roughly 10% of the 1,021 construction permits granted since the alteration of the zoning law on November 14, 2024, which suggests that the city is attempting to rebalance its approach to urban development by limiting the growth of high-density buildings in certain areas.
Mayor Nunes' administration has presented data indicating that only 1.5% of the approved constructions during the period involve large-scale residential buildings in zones where the zoning has been modified, emphasizing the administration's strategy to accommodate public concerns regarding urban sprawl. This legal ruling could shape future urban planning and policy decisions in São Paulo as they navigate the challenges of development versus community needs in the context of a growing population.
