Citzen Influence Through Social Auditing: Citizen Audit Committees and Urban Planning in Bogotá ; Incidencia ciudadana a través de la auditoría social: veedurías ciudadanas y planeación urbana en Bogotá ; Influência cidadã por meio da auditoria social: comitês de auditoria cidadã e planejamento urbano em Bogotá

This article examines the transformation and increase in the use of social auditing mechanisms by citizens to influence urban planning issues in Bogotá. To do so, we analyze the legal and institutional changes that facilitated the transformation of the Colombian figure of the “vee­duría ciudadana” (citizen audit committees) from a mechanism for oversight of public contracts to a tool with the capacity to modify and even block strategic city projects. However, not all veedurías are successful in influencing urban planning. Based on a documentary review and 15 interviews with local officials and leaders of five veedurías, we argue that three key aspects explain why citizen auditing committees might have greater influence in planning issues: (1) creating interdisciplinary teams with emphasis on technical and legal knowledge; (2) having a direct connection with political representatives; and (3) mobilizing an appealing city model for the educated upper and middle classes through public opinion. We conclude with a call to give greater attention to the legal, contractual, and jurisdictional implications of urban planning in discussions about citizen participation and urban governance, as well as to better conceptualize the role of the middle classes in Latin American city planning. ; Este artículo examina la transformación y aumento en el uso de mecanismos de auditoría so­cial por parte de la ciudadanía, para incidir en asuntos de planeación urbana en Bogotá. Para ello, analizamos los cambios legales e institucionales de la figura de las veedurías ciudadanas que facilitaron su transformación de un mecanismo de vigilancia de los contratos públicos a una herramienta con capacidad de modificar e incluso bloquear proyectos estratégicos de la ciudad. Sin embargo, no todas las veedurías logran incidir en la planeación urbana. Con base en una revisión documental y 15 entrevistas con funcionarios locales y líderes de cinco veedu­rías ciudadanas, argumentamos tres aspectos clave que explican el éxito de las veedurías con mayor ...