All these elements have caused chronic shortages of land, especially for the urban poor57 reducing the efficiency of the city. Several countries and cities are adopting and adapting this technique in order to accommodate a variety of legal frameworks and public-private relationships.63 Many others are improving the legal tools to assist with this process. In many cities, even long-established public spaces such as parks and open areas are under threat from development. The most common public space, street surface areas are being reduced in newly urbanized areas of both developed and developing countries.68 It is not only that the share of the public space is cut down, but also the very notion of the public realm.