The neighborhood in Lisbon where I spend a lot of my time is densely populated. It has undergone many changes, with new cafes and restaurants catering to youngsters as well as a significant influx of immigrants. Increased population and tourism put pressure on infrastructure, and local branches of government have been slow to respond. The bus I take is overcrowded. Garbage collection is falling behind. The local hospital is understaffed and underqualified: almost no one can address those seeking care in English. Immigrants are often met with hostility and frustration. The result is a chaotic neighborhood that feels vibrant and diverse, but also exasperating and hostile. It’s a striking contrast with the recent history of some areas surrounding this neighborhood, which were part of an innovative project: the SAAL—Serviço de Apoio Ambulatório Local, which was meant to “support, through the municipal council, initiatives by poorly housed populations to collaborate in transforming their own neighbourhoods” (my translation). When it was abruptly terminated in 1976, SAAL counted 41,665 families involved, 2,259 homes that had started to be …