| Summary: | The informal sector plays a very important role in developing countries. It acts as a stabilizer, and within this the urban poor find the necessary strategies for their survival. Home based commercial activities are a part of these strategies. They provide households with an additional income and open opportunities for those who can not qualify for jobs within the "formal" workforce. === The extraordinary abundance and variety of home based commercial activities are recorded in the case study. The study registers all the home based commercial activities existing in an informal settlement within the city of Guadalajara, Mexico. Emphasis is placed on the precise location of the businesses, and an analysis of its physical attributes. The different forms of adapting parts of the dwellings to serve as businesses are also observed. === Home based enterprises promote a rich mixture of activities in poor communities. The findings suggest that this mixed use of the land creates a better environment in informal settlements, as opposed to the division of activities implemented in official housing projects. Researchers and developers should therefore consider home based commercial activities as tools of development.
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