Social Construction of Target Groups in Urban Financial Policies: An Analysis from the Policy Design Approach
Abstract
This article examines how issue context shapes the social construction of target groups within urban development fi nancial policy aimed at increasing land for affordable hous ing in Quito. Based on the policy design social construction framework, it reveals that the policy is not neutral but reflects and reinforces power dynamics. Real estate developers are constructed as “contenders”: powerful but publicly contested actors who face formal burdens yet enjoy decision-making privileges. In contrast, affordable housing beneficiaries are seen as “dependents”: positively viewed yet powerless, re ceiving limited and conditional benefits. The policy design reproduces symbolic hierarchies and allocates burdens and benefits based on socially constructed roles. This perspective highlights underlying inequalities and offers insights for more just and participatory urban policy.
