A systematisation of policies and programs focused on informal urban settlements: reviewing the cases of São Paulo, Luanda, and Istanbul

Urban growth, particularly in developing countries, has been impacted by the financial and institutional incapacity to provide affordable housing, leading to the development of large informal urban settlements. The support provided by international financial institutions, the growing economic capacity, and the interest from the real estate market have been responsible for the emergence of interventions, programs, and policies directed at informal urban settlements, with the goal to improve or replace them. This paper explores the modalities adopted for such upgrading projects in São Paulo, Luanda, and Istanbul. Using a categorization system, the research shows that the interventions in São Paulo are more concerned with keeping the residents in-situ, while the public authorities in Luanda and Istanbul show a preference for relocation and eradication of informal urban settlements, even though Luanda has recently shown a certain degree of change in its approach.