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The Deregularization of Land Titles

Author

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  • Galiani Sebastian

    (Department of Economics, University of Maryland & NBER, 3105 Tydings Hall, College Park, MD 20742, USA)

  • Schargrodsky Ernesto

    (Ernesto Schargrodsky, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella & CONICET, Av. Figueroa Alcorta 7350, (C1428BCW) Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Abstract

In the last years, several countries implemented policy interventions to entitle urban squatters, encouraged by the results of studies showing large welfare gains from entitlement. We study a natural experiment in the allocation of land titles to very poor families in a suburban area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although previous studies on this experiment have found important effects of titling on investment, household structure, educational achievement, and child health, in this article we document that a large fraction of households that went through a situation at which formalization was challenged (death, divorce, sale/purchase), ended up being de-regularized. The legal costs of remaining formal seem too high relative to the value of these parcels and the income of their inhabitants.

Suggested Citation

  • Galiani Sebastian & Schargrodsky Ernesto, 2016. "The Deregularization of Land Titles," Man and the Economy, De Gruyter, vol. 3(2), pages 169-188, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:maneco:v:3:y:2016:i:2:p:169-188:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/me-2016-0018
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Galiani, Sebastian & Schargrodsky, Ernesto, 2010. "Property rights for the poor: Effects of land titling," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(9-10), pages 700-729, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Italo A. Gutierrez & Oswaldo Molina, 2020. "Reverting to Informality: Unregistered Property Transactions and the Erosion of the Titling Reform in Peru," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 69(1), pages 317-334.
    2. Panman, Alexandra & Lozano Gracia, Nancy, 2022. "Titling and beyond: Evidence from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    3. Dy, Kenneth Bicol & Chau, Kwong Wing, 2023. "Compulsory land redistribution from the perspective of the theory of price control," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    4. Ali, Daniel Ayalew & Deininger, Klaus, 2022. "Institutional determinants of large land-based investments’ performance in Zambia: Does title enhance productivity and structural transformation?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    5. Ali, Daniel Ayalew & Deininger, Klaus & Mahofa, Godfrey & Nyakulama, Rhona, 2021. "Sustaining land registration benefits by addressing the challenges of reversion to informality in Rwanda," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    6. Glaeser, Edward L., 2022. "What can developing cities today learn from the urban past?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    land titling deregularization; titling systems; cost of titling; natural experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P14 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Property Rights

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