For most residents of São Paulo, informal settlements like Paraisópolis are viewed as a problem the city must solve. However, a deeper look at the city's urbanization process reveals that, despite its challenges, the area has much to teach São Paulo's affluent neighborhoods — such as its immediate neighbor, Morumbi.
Paraisópolis emerged in the 1960s, born from the occupation of land by families migrating from Northeast Brazil, many of whom came to work in construction. While São Paulo was adopting a series of regulations and restrictions on construction, the community grew outside the boundaries of the Master Plan and the Building Code. Restrictions like front and side setbacks, floor area ratios (FAR), and strictly residential zoning were never an issue there.
