Sandra Mara Siqueira rests with her grandchildren, Micael, Davi, Ana Flávia, and Vitória in Colombo, Paraná, Brazil. Living in the Parque dos Lagos occupation since 2013, the family seeks land regularization to guarantee access to basic infrastructure.
Millions of Brazilians lack safe and affordable housing, with a national shortage of 5.9 million homes forcing approximately 16.4 million people into informal settlements. In the city of Colombo, the Parque dos Lagos occupation is home to 200 families living without official access to water, sewage disposal, or electricity. This project examines the struggle for land regularization, the legal process of converting informal possession into property rights. For Sandra Mara Siqueira and these communities, legal tenure is the essential gateway to credit, permanence, and dignity.
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