This article is the result of the analysis of Participatory Master Plans developed between 2001 and 2008 by the local authorities from the Metropolitan Area of Campinas. Throughout the analysis of the Master Plans, it seemed appropriate to include the cities' complementary legislation on land parcelling, use and occupancy, as well as their Housing Plans. Altogether, more than fifty documents were analysed, including laws and plans. The study indicated the fragility of urban legislation in dealing with the urban instruments set out in the Statute of the City, which should, at least from a legal point of view, enforce the constitutional principle of the property social role. A comparative method between municipalities was adopted, in order to identify how they have handled issues related to macrozoning, management, subdivision, open space system, social housing and urban instruments, thus inferring how much the existing constitutional principle was incorporated in the cities' legislation. The results help to understand the hindrances found for the fulfilment of social interest housing demands, as well as to design actions to improve open urban space systems.
Urban planning; Urban management; Urban legislation; Housing; Open space system; Urban regulation tools
