Accessibility and mobility in the process of involuntary resettlement of families in Belo Horizonte, Brazil: the case of Aglomerado da Serra slum

Abstract

The processes of house removal and resettlement of families implicate in several changes regarding the families’ mobility, in different spatial-temporal scales. The aim of this article is to identify the practices and travel experiences faced by the families that have participated in the Vila Viva Program, implemented in the Aglomerado da Serra, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. From the spatial analysis of the housing developments built by the program and semi-structured qualitative interviews, we have identified significant transformations in the mobility practices of the daily life of these families and in their access to urban spaces in the city and to the spaces closest to the housing. We have also distinguished mobility patterns, associated to the family arrangements, the resettlement’s location, gender, age, economical resources and the health status of the mobile subjects.

Keywords:
Removal and resettlement; Housing; Mobility practices; Accessibility; Belo Horizonte