As the historical process of favela development involved the illegal and unregulated occupation of land, most residents did not obtain legal proof of property ownership, known as a deed.

In recent years as part of widespread effort to integrate favelas into the wider social, political and economic framework of the city, programs have been developed to supply residents with proof of ownership.

for decades, The Associação de Moradores (Association of Residents) for each district of the city has been giving out 'posses' to residents of communities, which equate to unofficial proof of ownership.

In order to obtain one of these documents, the properties must meet certain housing regulations - If a property obtains a posse it generally means that the property is in a safe location, and the construction does not conflict with any local laws.