Mexico City's mayor seeks changes to a metropolitan plan after backlash over property tax and idle lots

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said on 12 October 2026 that she will ask Sedatu, the federal urban development ministry, to change a draft metropolitan plan for the Valle de México, under public consultation until 22 November. On 30 September the opposition PAN warned that it could allow the forced sale, by public auction, of vacant or underused lots in priority development zones if owners do not build within two to four years. Complaints about property tax followed, and on 6 October residents blocked Calzada de Tlalpan, a major avenue, saying they had been unable to speak at a consultation forum. Brugada said the city will not raise property tax and that no proposals "that could raise doubt" can remain.

Forced sale of idle land is a land-supply lever debated in several countries, and the episode shows how quickly it meets resistance, even in draft, once a consultation is seen to fail. The open question is whether the disputed provisions are removed or only reworded.