Participatory Land Planning, Community Land Trusts, and Managed Retreat: Transforming Informality and Building Resilience to Flood Risk in Puerto Rico’s Caño Martín Peña

Ivis García () and Leslie Martínez-Román
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Ivis García: Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Leslie Martínez-Román: Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-25

Abstract: El Caño Martín Peña (CMP), a cluster of eight historically informal neighborhoods in San Juan, Puerto Rico, faces long-standing challenges of inadequate infrastructure, persistent flooding, and displacement pressures. In response, the G8 collective—a coalition representing these communities—and the Martín Peña Canal Community Land Trust (CLT) establishment have developed a participatory planning model prioritizing resilience and housing security. This unique and exemplary model of a participatory planning case study, grounded in document analysis and participant observation, explores how the G8 and CLT have driven transformative improvements in CMP, addressing informality, mitigating flood risks, and preventing displacement. Findings highlight how community-driven governance fosters trust and enhances long-term sustainability, offering valuable insights for equitable urban development and spatial justice.

Keywords: participatory land planning; community land trusts; managed retreat; resilience to flood risk; urban informality; climate adaptation; equitable development; land tenure security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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