Fundacion Santo Domingo
The Pitch
Villas de San Pablo – Sustainable and Inclusive is a macro-level housing and social infrastructure project created by the Santo Domingo Foundation (FSD) to address urban sprawl and housing shortages. In Barranquilla, FSD designed and developed a new, affordable, walkable neighborhood.
The Problem
In Barranquilla, homes, employment centers and essentials such as hospitals and grocery stores are spatially isolated, forcing residents to spend long hours commuting. This reduces neighborhood cohesion and places added economic burdens on families (to pay for commuting costs).
The Process
- Designed and developed social housing and sustainable infrastructure using the 20-Minute City model to create a walkable neighborhood, Villas de San Pablo
- Utilized a participatory methodology to develop plans for the neighborhoods
- Established the Community Action Board for community leaders to voice concerns and set goals
- Created and built an educational institution, early childhood development center, National Learning Service Node, Live Digital Point (Punto Vive Digital), library, health center, park and six community halls
- Offered a training course, Conscious Leadership for Democracy and Citizen Participation, to community members
- Established training programs to promote economic and social development and self-sufficiency
The Impact
- Minimized travel time between residences and resources
- Provided residents with affordable housing
- Inspired other social housing projects, such as Las Gardenias in Barranquilla and Nando Marín in Valledupar, to adopt a similar model
- Led FSD to design and develop their second walkable neighborhood, Ciudad del Bicentenario, in Cartagena
- Inspired the government to develop additional walkable neighborhoods in surrounding areas such as La India, Flor del Campo, Villas de Aranjuez and Colombiaton
- Increased local capacity to manage economic, urban and social development through several programs:
- In Villas de San Pablo, through Proyectarse:
- Provided business training to 96 people
- Provided social skills training to 687 people
- Generated 935 jobs for residents through employment training
- Equipped 25 businesses with digital marketing skills and 10 businesses with financial management skills through Tu Negocio a la Mano
- In Ciudad del Bicentenario:
- Provided business training to 848 people
- Provided social skills training to 914 people
- Generated 2,125 jobs for residents through employment training
- In Villas de San Pablo, through Proyectarse:
- Improved livability: 89% of families interviewed said that living in the planned neighborhoods improved their quality of life due to peacefulness and increased access to social infrastructure
