City occupied: A neighbourhood-based comparison of informal land occupations in Bogota, Cape Town and Sao Paulo

This project “City Occupied” studied land and building occupations in three neighbourhoods in different cities, Bogota (Columbia), Cape Town (South Africa), and São Paulo (Brazil) to contribute to an understanding of a global housing crisis and citizen-led initiatives to achieve more equitable and just cities. By employing a collaborative, neighbourhood-based research approach to informal occupations, the project explored the everyday practices, struggles, and future possibilities of occupations. In collaboration with the residents, the researchers worked together to produce and disseminate material through various channels, including print and visual media. The main focus was on creating counter-narratives and promoting self-representation to challenge the problematic and dehumanizing official narratives surrounding the residents living in occupations.

For other research reports in this series, see also The City Report - Neighbourhood Matters in Cape Town and The City Report - Neighbourhood Characteristics and Inequality in the City of Johannesburg.

Abstract based directly on source.