Development from below: neighborhood improvement associations in the Latin American squatter settlements.

Abstract

Juntas a type of neighborhood association found in many Latin American countries are described in terms of their common characteristics functions and strategies. Factors which strengthen juntas are isolated and the potential for juntas to become ongoing institutionalized structures is discussed. Information from a large number of written sources was compared in order to identify the common cross cultural characteristics of juntas. Juntas generally originate as squatter invasion forces organized to take over and settle either gradually or overnight unocupied lands in or near urban centers. After invasion the huntas continue to function as neighborhood associations which make collective demands on the government for public services and which promote various self-help projects within the squatter community. Juntas are widespread in Latin American countries. Of the 91 squatter settlements which have been studied in 11 different countries 61 has juntas. Participation of household heads in the juntas ranges from 10-70%. Most squatter invasions are planned or spontaneous radical political action. The collective invasion itself often serves to open negotiations with the government. After the invasion leaders are elected and they help organize the new community by assigning land setting boundries screening new settlers collecting dues and directing a variety of self-help construction projects. Collective demands are then made on the government to provide urban services such as water and electricity. The collective nature of the demand helps reduce the risk of official retaliation. Demand strategies include petitioning high level government officials utilizing personalistic contacts affiliating with either the rulingpower or opposing parties appealing to outside agencies linking up with other juntas conducting public demonstrations and publicizing their grievances in order to engender public support. After basic services are provided the juntas promote self-help projects such as organizing taxi services medical clinics vocational and lteracy programs and building playgrounds. The juntas sometimes perform quasi governmental functions such as settling disputes between community members and policing the community. Participation in juntas declines as the need for making outside demands lessens; however the high level of self-help activity keeps the juntas viable. They also retain the latent capacity for political demand behavior if the need for action arises. Factors which strengthen juntas included 1) high population density and large size of the squatter community 2) defined boundaries 3) close proximity to urban agencies 4) climatic factors which make it necessary to act quickly and collectively and 5) a moderate level of heterogeneity in the squatter population.