Grassroots campaign for affordable housing in Mexico City (CDMX) strengthens with third march against gentrification
Mexico City Protests Against Gentrification Escalate
Mexico City has seen a surge of anti-gentrification protests in July 2025, with activists voicing their concerns over rising rents, displacement, and the influx of foreign residents, particularly those from the US.
The third such protest this month took place on Saturday, with around 200 people marching peacefully from the Benito Juárez Hemicycle in the Alameda Central Park to the Juárez metro station. Despite the presence of police, a group of protesters defaced parts of the interior of the station with graffiti. The city authorities reported that the march concluded without incident.
The protesters carried placards with slogans such as "Decent housing for Mexicans", "Get out Airbnb", "The [historic] center is not for sale", and "Our neighborhood is not a warehouse". Some demonstrators also displayed Palestine flags to show their support for the besieged residents of Gaza and their opposition to Israel.
The protests have been a response to the perceived role of digital nomads and short-term rental platforms like Airbnb in driving gentrification and displacing locals from central neighborhoods such as Condesa and Tlalpan. The Mexico City government has acknowledged these concerns and announced a series of policy measures aimed at addressing the issue.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced 14 policy measures, including tighter rent controls, a rental price index, expanded public housing initiatives, and regulatory proposals specifically targeting short-term rental platforms like Airbnb. The city's Congress has also approved a reform that established a 180-day-per-year limit on online vacation rentals and prohibited government-built social housing from being rented to tourists via online rental platforms.
However, many residents feel that the response has been slow and insufficient. The Youth Front for Housing, one of the groups leading the protests, stated that they aren't against change per se, but are opposed to "change that excludes and erases us". The Front announced the staging of the first "Regional Conference against Gentrification and Dispossession" at the National Autonomous University (UNAM) on Saturday, Aug. 9.
The protests have also intersected with political tensions between Mexico and the US, as some anti-gentrification slogans have been explicitly anti-US, reflecting frustration with perceived foreign influence over local housing markets. On Friday, the U.S. Embassy issued a "security alert" ahead of the protest.
Despite these challenges, Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced that her government would create thousands of affordable housing units as part of a long-term strategy to tackle gentrification. The city authorities remain committed to finding solutions that address the concerns of local residents and ensure the preservation of the city's rich cultural heritage.
[1] Mexico City Protests Against Gentrification Escalate
[2] Mexico City Announces New Policy Measures to Tackle Gentrification
[3] Anti-Gentrification Protests in Mexico City Intersect with Political Tensions Between Mexico and the US
[4] Youth Front for Housing Announces Regional Conference Against Gentrification and Dispossession
In line with the escalating protests against gentrification in Mexico City, there have been calls for more effective policy measures to address the issue in the business and political sectors.
In an effort to curb gentrification and advocate for affordable housing, the Youth Front for Housing announced a regional conference on August 9th, promising to continue the fight against changes that exclude or erase local residents in lifestyle and home-and-garden matters.
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