44 Otoño-invierno 2012 This Programme brought a major change in the neighbourhood: inhabitants became owners of their dwelling6. Before reconstruction most plots belonged to bourgeois living in the City Centre. Plots were expropriated, vecindades demolished, and reconstructed in a similar configuration, and families were relocated in the same plot. This Programme could be considered as a culminating event that concretises the community “right to the city”. The 90’s, Tepito neighbourhood subordination to the street market A parallel process was occurring in the neighbourhood: street market was expanding quickly; becoming the most lucrative activity in the neighbourhood since the 70’s when fayuca7 was introduced. Many inhabitants became street vendors and claimed the “right to use the street” in the name of a legitimate, traditional practice. Local Authorities tolerated the Tepito street market, which was becoming an attractive commercial pole at regional scale. Local leaders had agreements with Authorities to manage streets, arguing the street market was an important asset for community survival. Selling places in the streets were distributed to inhabitants. The growth of the street market increased the neighbourhood land value. As Alfonso Hernandez explain: You can earn 5 000 MXP per week storing 50 metallic stalls of the street market, earning is even bigger if you store merchandise. In Florida or Aztecas Streets a storage place of 30 m² in the third place can cost 500 000 MXP (a place to sell in the street can cost 200 000 MXP). So it is better to transform dwellings in storage places and buy a house in a middle class neighbourhood such as Pedregal, Villa Coapa, Satélite, Lindavista or Jardin Balbuena. It is easier to move out with the family that transport merchandise (Tomas 2005, prices actualised by LO to 2011). Fig. 3 Tepito core area, google maps 2012. The community not only became owners of their apartments, but also they became “owners” of selling places in the streets. Juridical status of the selling 6 Percentage of tenants diminished from 80% to less than 25% during the period 1985-1987 (Tomas 2005). 7 Illegally imported goods. At the beginning articles included toys, decoration articles; but afterwards it included also electronics, guns and other kind of illegal merchandise. Street market expansion in the Tepito core area
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