Progressive housing in Bolivia: Spatial patterns and triggers

Abstract

Housing deficits in Bolivia are evident not only in quantity but also in quality, with nearly half of the population living in precarious conditions. In this context, progressive housing has emerged as the primary strategy for gaining access to urban and peri-urban housing. The aim of this research is to characterize the spatial growth patterns of progressive housing and the socioeconomic drivers behind them in eight neighborhoods of Cochabamba and Tarija. The methodology combined analysis of Google Earth satellite imagery (2003-2022), direct observation of construction typologies, and 183 household surveys, complemented by interviews with community leaders; data were processed in QGIS to map the physical evolution of the dwellings. Five recurring spatial patterns were identified: ‘L’, ‘II’, ‘U’, ‘O’, and full-lot occupation, each associated with 20-30-year trajectories and conditioned by economic resources, family changes, and lot morphology. The study concludes that progressivity constitutes a social technology of housing production which, although largely unrecognized in existing regulations, demonstrates local self-management capacities and calls for regulatory frameworks that acknowledge its rhythms and minimum habitability standards.