An Index to Identify and Classify the Spectrum of U.S. Peri-Urban Informal Subdivisions

This paper proposes a replicable, data-driven index to identify informal subdivisions and measure levels of peri-urban housing informality. Dallas (Texas) and Catawba (North Carolina) county assessment data, a review of the literature, and insights from qualitative research in North Texas yielded variables which were reduced to two factors through exploratory factor analysis. We identified 128 and fifty-three highly informal subdivisions in Dallas and Catawba counties, respectively. This work highlights the pervasiveness of peripheral informal subdivisions and helps guide planners’ efforts to locate and assist the most precarious subdivisions.