ABSTRACT
Cities throughout Latin America are ringed by informal residential space (i.e., squatter settlements). On the southern edge of Asuncion, Paraguay is an area known as the Chacarita. The state and federal governments have long coveted the area for redevelopment, claiming that the Chacarita is a problem community where organized crime, drug dealing, and lawlessness prevail. This chapter explains that the Chacarita may face some serious problems, but residents are deeply attached to their neighborhood because the settlement is infused with elements that support a strong sense of community (e.g., churches, radio station, dance halls, fútbol stadia).
