The government is in the process of implementing a system to officially recognize these documents - The initiative, part of the Morar Carioca program, aims to ensure that 70,500 households obtain an official deed by 2020.

some properties have already been issued an official city deed, called 'escritura,' and in this case the purchase and sale of the property is just like any other real estate transaction in the city - in fact, a deed also gives access to bank financing, and the ability to legally rent out the property.

At present however, anyone interested in buying property in a favela usually has to go through the Associação de Moradores of the favela of interest to obtain a posse and become an authorized landowner.