between 1910 and 1920 Favelas began to grow and take root in the Southern Zone of the city, a phenomenon met in equal measure by efforts to repress and remove them -  This was conducted largely through attempts to relocate residents to rural and remote areas of the city.

these efforts were complicated by the insufficient transport infrastructure in place, as workers needed to be close to where there was fertile soil for employment.

Hence, the efforts at removal were generally unsuccessful as workers would continually find ways to remain close to the city center.

as of the 1920's the word favela stared to be used to refer to any precarious housing settlement built by people who did not own the land they occupied.