Sharing and Learning at the World Urban Forum: Medellin as a Case Study

Sharing and Learning at the World Urban Forum: Medellin as a Case Study

Salin Geevarghese, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Philanthropic Innovation. As I discussed in my inaugural piece in The Edge, HUD’s Office for International and Philanthropic Innovation (IPI) is committed to looking beyond borders and across sectors to identify innovations, tools, and knowledge that will help us rethink the ways in which HUD operates and delivers on its mission. To help HUD both share its own work and learn from its international partners, Secretary Donovan recently attended the seventh World Urban Forum (WUF7) in Medellín, Colombia.

WUF7, sponsored by UN-Habitat, is the world’s premier international conference examining sustainable urban development issues. This year’s theme, “Urban Equity in Development – Cities for Life,” focused on the ways in which the design, governance, and infrastructure of cities can overcome growing economic and social inequality. The event featured a record 22,000 participants from around the world with a strong presence from the Americas. Secretary Donovan led a diverse and dynamic U.S. delegation composed of government representatives as well as leaders from nongovernmental organizations and the private and philanthropic sectors.

Secretary Donovan used his high-profile speaking opportunities to elevate the Obama administration’s flagship programs that address economic inequality at the neighborhood, city, and regional levels: the Choice Neighborhoods and Promise Zones initiatives; Strong Cities, Strong Communities; and the Sustainable Communities Initiative. He also highlighted prominent U.S. financing mechanisms and innovative cross-sector partnership networks that allow the United States to develop affordable housing despite increasing fiscal challenges. In addition to building the field of practitioners, this type of innovation sharing helps identify new partners and offers a platform for iterative exchange that can improve on existing models.

In addition, Secretary Donovan was able to substantively engage his global counterparts and other thought leaders and evaluate innovative strategies being used to address housing and urban challenges.

Of all the models discussed at WUF7, the transformation of the conference’s host city, Medellín, stood out. Once plagued by drug trafficking and gangs, Colombia’s second-largest city has seen a dramatic turnaround over the past 20 years. Public officials and local leaders have instituted a series of renowned urban planning and public transportation initiatives that have increased public safety and fostered economic development. The revamped public transportation system includes a subway system, cable cars, and a hillside escalator, all of which connect poor neighborhoods to the city center. An emphasis on the design of public buildings has helped new schools, libraries, clinics, parks and public squares encourage social inclusion. Much of this work has been accomplished through participatory budgeting, giving residents a greater sense of ownership, decisionmaking authority, and civic pride. These efforts earned Medellín the title of “Innovative City of the Year” from Citibank, the Wall Street Journal, and the Urban Land Institute in 2013.

Secretary Donovan and HUD attendees witnessed the results of Medellín’s transformation firsthand during a tour of the city’s Santo Domingo neighborhood, once considered to be among the most dangerous in the world. Accessed by the city’s signature cable car, Medellín is now bustling with economic activity. The following day, Secretary Donovan met with Colombia’s housing minister, Luis Felipe Henao Cardona, to discuss the federal instruments that helped fuel the revival of Medellín and Bogotá, Colombia’s sprawling capital city.

These exchanges left me a series of questions that I believe the Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) is uniquely equipped to answer: Can the United States learn from Colombia’s federal resource-deployment systems to improve its own cities? Are financing vehicles being deployed in Medellín that could also foster public infrastructure investment in hard-hit U.S. communities? How does public architecture affect economic development in the United States?

The U.S. and Colombian contexts vary greatly; what works in Medellín won’t necessarily work in Memphis. Medellín, however, represents just one of an increasing number of places from which our country can source innovation to create strong, sustainable, and inclusive communities. The potential impact of the international comparative lens is only growing as global cities face shared challenges around scarce financing, increased inequality, and the need for greater resilience. Against that backdrop, PD&R looks forward to continuing to share and learn across borders.