Urban Agriculture and Multispecies Commoning in Public Housing Regeneration: Rethinking Ecologies of Care in Scampia

Abstract

In an era of planetary crisis, urban planning must move beyond extractive models toward regenerative approaches grounded in care and multispecies coexistence. This paper explores the contradictions and potential of embedding urban agriculture within public housing regeneration, focusing on Scampia (Naples), a district marked by socio-spatial marginalization. Analyzing the ReStart Scampia project, which proposes a system of cultivated fields, urban forests, and collectively managed green areas, this study reframes urban agriculture as a tool for multispecies commoning rather than a symbolic greening strategy. Drawing on urban political ecology and post-growth theory, the paper interrogates governance structures and asks: can urban agriculture foster socio-ecological justice in marginalized neighborhoods? Can it support post-anthropocentric planning practices through bottom-up land stewardship and care? The case offers insights for rethinking ecologies of care in public housing.