History of Sao Sebastiao

Until the 1960s, nothing much has changed. However, in that decade, Petrobras built its oil terminal, attracting new employees and investments. The occupation of the city became wider and faster. While the city centre kept its development, workers from other parts of Brazil built their houses near the Serra do Mar, originating the neighborhood of Topolândia, which now concentrates the lower-class families.

São Sebastião became a tourist destination in the late 1980s, when the Rodovia Rio-Santos (a section of the BR-101 that connects Santos to Rio de Janeiro) was completed and paved. Most of the lands were sold to countryside or paulistanas families who wished a house to spend the weekends and holidays. Most of the Caiçaras (people who make a living out of fishing) started to work with tourism, even though a few of them still earn money from the fish.

Until nowadays, tourism plays an important role in the city's economy. However, as the city grew, proper water and sewage pipes have not been built for every building, which lead to the lack of proper urban infrastructure in certain points of the city. As of November 2010, less than 50% of the city's sewage receives proper treatment. However, after a project by the government of the state os São Paulo called "Onda Limpa" (Clean Wave), the percentage of hauses connected to sewage pipes went up to 94%, as of January 2012.

Besides, improper housing became a major problem, as more houses are built in Mata Atlântica zones which, apart from being subject to preservation, are highly likely to suffer from mudslides. There is an estimated 11,045 houses built in "frozen" areas, that is, areas in which new houses are not allowed to be built. The number of new buildings in the region grows 20% every year.

Another current threat to the city is the sea level rise,