From informal settlements to serial housing in Brazil: conflicts and spatial fragmentation in the adaptation to a new form of living

Abstract

The rehabilitation of vulnerable populations from informal settlements is not limited to the provision of formal housing; the challenges of adapting to the housing unit are diverse. Thus the aim of this study was to analyze how a vulnerable population adapts to serial housing, focusing on conflicts and spatial fragmentation. The field research involved on-site assessments, observations and semi-structured interviews inside 156 housing units in Brazil. The difficulties related to this adaptation are diverse: the reduced size of the areas in the housing unit and the lot; the difficulty of extending the housing unit; low-quality materials; the lack of a place or area to generate income; the lack of social ties with the neighborhood; the lack of privacy; spatial fragmentation with divisions and private constructions in non-occupiable areas of the lot (setbacks and clearances) and the invasion of public areas. The adaptation process to the formal, serial housing unit particularly involves conflicts among neighbors. One of the consequences of failing to adapt to “formality” is the sale or rent of the housing unit, with 19.0% of housing units of the sample being occupied by non-original beneficiaries.