Subaltern urbanization in times of pandemic. Informal settlements in Chile

ABSTRACT

The permanence of informal settlements in Latin America reflects insufficient public policies and markets incapable of providing housing for poor groups in society. However, it is also a manifestation of the pulse of residents to manage housing alternatives. This article describes the first impacts of the COVID-19 health emergency on housing, based on the example of the consolidation of the Campamento Altos de Placilla Nuevo. The research focused on the resident's elections, building processes, and inhabit experiences through a mixed and participatory methodology. It is concluded that, although the pandemic was an accelerating factor that exposed the vulnerability of low-income families, living in the camp made it possible to improve their living conditions, both in a context of abandonment and uncertainty.