Recent public policies in developing countries have emerged to address challenges of delivering water-related ecosystem services in urban areas. Some initiatives, such as the Brazilian Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (BPACC) highlights sustainable urban drainage as a key strategy for promoting sustainable cities, including ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) measures. Despite the importance of these national guidelines, little is known about how the recommendations are incorporated and the provision of ecosystem services are perceived in local initiatives. We aim to explore stakeholders’ perception of ecosystem services in relation to public urban programs for improving the local environment through EbA measures. For this, we studied a stream revitalization project in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, as an emblematic case by integrating three public programs: re-urbanization of irregular settlements, implementation of linear parks and cleansing of urban streams. Our methods involved literature review, documentary data, field surveys and semi-structured interviews with local populations, public agents, and NGOs. Despite some positive results of supplying ecosystem services, we recommend that local programs expand the scope of EbA measures based on BPACC guidelines, strengthen the specific objectives of the three individual public programs and better manage public resources, especially in the context of promoting resilient cities in developing countries. At the same time, local programs can teach lessons and show opportunities for improving national guidelines on climate change adaptation.