Territorial occupation process and effects of informal housing production: an urban-architectural analysis in La Esperanza and El Porvenir, Trujillo

Abstract

This study analyzes the process of land occupation and the effects of informal housing production in the districts of La Esperanza and El Porvenir (Trujillo, Peru) during the period 1965–2025. Using a mixed descriptive-analytical approach with a qualitative predominance, the study examines the influence of internal migration, social conflicts, the lack of urban planning and housing policies, and social inequality on the urban and architectural configuration of both districts. The research employed a review of documents and regulations, cartographic analysis and satellite imagery, direct observation with photographic documentation, and discourse analysis of key stakeholders. The results show that, by 2024, La Esperanza had 55 informal settlements and El Porvenir had 61, while housing programs proved insufficient to meet existing demand. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that a large proportion of housing in Peru is built outside the formal framework. Spatial analysis identifies rapid urban expansion after 1990 and significant differences between planned and unplanned areas, reflected in the availability of services and land use planning. The study concludes that self-construction and informality constitute social responses to exclusion from the formal housing market and limited government action.