Protesters march in Mexico City against gentrification, soaring housing costs

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - Demonstrators filled the streets of Mexico City on Sunday to protest what they describe as rampant gentrification that is displacing locals and limiting access to housing for lower-income residents.

It was the second such demonstration in recent months as housing policies continue to favor real estate developers and wealthier newcomers, protesters said.

Marching along Insurgentes Avenue in the city’s southern district under a heavy police presence, residents chanted slogans and carried banners calling for an end to government-backed luxury developments and rising rents. Hundreds of police officers in anti-riot gear lined the route.

“We demand an end to gentrification, an end to real estate developers, and an end to these government policies that serve the interests of capitalism. I am a student, my classmates are students, and we have no guaranteed access to housing,” a demonstrator told Anadolu.

The city government blocked major roads near the protest site and restricted public transportation, moves many participants criticized as attempts to suppress the demonstration.

Though the protest remained peaceful, police monitored it closely as marchers urged officials to enact policies to lower rent and ensure affordable housing for all.

Over the past three years, housing prices in Mexico City have more than doubled, fueled by luxury real estate developments and an influx of wealthier domestic and foreign residents. Longtime locals have increasingly been priced out of their neighborhoods.

On average, rent prices in Mexico City have risen to over $800 -- a sharp contrast to the average monthly wage, which is around $400.