Multi-layered participatory budgeting

Estela Brahimllari

Multi-layered participatory budgeting

The case of low-income neighbourhoods in Paris

The city of Paris has launched in 2014 an ambitious PB (participatory budgeting) experience of about 100 million euros per year, with a third of the budget dedicated to low-income neighbourhoods. Focusing on these areas, the study aims to investigate the potential of the Paris PB to address social inequalities and be inclusive of the most marginalized social groups. Findings indicate the need for several changes in the structure and implementation of the process, while the distribution of PB projects in low-income areas appears to be affected by their ongoing gentrification.

Pages: 164

ISBN: 9788835111849

Edizione:1a edizione 2020

Publisher code: 11111.3

Info about Open Access books

The book presents the potential of participatory budgeting (PB) as a tool for transforming social, political, and territorial priorities and overall, to channel resources towards the disadvantaged social groups. Such potential constitutes one of the key elements of its success and broad diffusion worldwide. However, several studies suggest that European PBs do not have the same potential as the first Brazilian experiences when it comes to social inclusion or transforming of priorities.
In 2014, the Municipality of Paris launched its first PB experience with an ambitious overall budget of about 500 million euros for the period between 2014-2019; one of the most important PB budgets in the world. As the process has continuously evolved through the years, a decision was made in 2016 to reserve a third of the overall annual budget to lowincome neighbourhoods with the expressed aim to include marginalized groups in the process and use PB as a tool for democratic redistribution.
On this basis, the study presented on this book analyses the potential of the Paris PB to address social inequalities and explore how the inherent quality of PB to be a transformational tool is materialized in the specific Parisian context.
Through a conceptual framework which considers social inequalities in their multidimensionality, the Paris PB has been analysed in terms of actual achievements and means to achieve in the future, using qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews, quantitative data available in various official sources and personal observations of the author. The findings show several contradictory and incoherent elements inside the design and implementation of the process. Moreover, the ongoing gentrification process appears to be a powerful influencing factor upon the PB outcomes. Using theoretical insights and lessons learned from successful PB practices around the world, the author elaborates a series of recommendations regarding the evolution of the Parisian PB process.

Estela Brahimllari is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree graduate in Sustainable Territorial Development (STeDe) with a previous background in Architecture. Her professional interests include sustainable urban development mechanisms and the study of socio-economic dynamics shaping the built environment.

Alessio Surian, Foreword. Power and Soft policies
Em. Prof. Yves Cabannes, Foreword. Does the Paris Participatory budgeting of the low-income neighbourhoods contribute to reducing social inequalities?
Introduction
Part I. Participatory budgeting between theory and practice
Concepts and definitions
(Literature review; Synthesis of literature review; Conceptual framework)
Benchmark cases
(Porto Alegre, Brazil; Canoas, Brazil; Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Taoyuan, Taiwan; Seville, Spain; Grenoble, France; Lessons learned)
Part II. The Parisian experience
The Paris PB case
(PB in Paris as a multi-layered practice; Low-income neighbourhoods; PB in a context of multiple strategies and mechanisms)
Facts and perceptions
(Stakeholders analysis; Analysis of interviews; Quantitative overview; Territorial overview)
Discussion and conclusions
(Answering the research questions; Conclusions)
Acknowledgements
References
Annex 1 - Map of the evolution of gentrification dynamics in the city of Paris
Annex 2 - List of additional project eligibility conditions included for the 2019 Paris PB edition
Annex 3 - Important laws of social housing evolution in France
Annex 4 - The 10 objectives of the Deprived areas development policies (Politique de la Ville)
Annex 5 - Table synthesising data on the Paris districts
Annex 6 - Overview of conducted interviews
Annex 7 - Overview of contacted beneficiaries of the PB project "Coup de Pouce Commerces"
Annex 8 - Description of the author's internship activities inside the Paris PB Department
Marina Bertoncin, The Erasmus Mundus in Sustainable Territorial Development: a geographical challenge

Contributors: Marina Bertoncin, Em. Prof.Yves Cabannes, Alessio Surian

Serie: Nuove Geografie. Strumenti di lavoro - Open Access

Subjects: Architecture, Design, Art, Urban and Regional Studies

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