Challenges on Urban Management: Territorial Units in Ponta Grossa - Brazil

Ponta Grossa is a Brazilian medium city where the dynamics of urban development have occurred through (re)production of social-spatial inequalities related to natural and anthropic conditionings. Locally, there are several challenges on the urban management. Themes related to urban density and territorial units adequation are specifically addressed. This paper aims to discuss the various challenges encountered for local urban management in Ponta Grossa - PR. First, temporal and spatial context is presented. The author then summarizes the local bibliographical and technical production related to the theme. Affairs on the production, interpretation and application of census data in the proposing of public policies are discussed, such as: the exceeding extension of local neighborhoods; the unstandardized radius of coverage used to analyze urban and community equipment; the territorial extension of the census tracts; the fragmented management decisions among municipal departments. Finally, an experience of cooperation connecting the local municipality, University and IBGE – Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics – is briefly presented, picturing interinstitutional arrangements as an alternate panorama for more adequate urban management.