Shantytown (noun)

1. A squatter settlement or informal housing area typically made up of makeshift structures or shanties.
2. A run-down or poverty-stricken urban area.

Origin:

From the french word 'chantier', meaning 'construction site'.

Examples:

1. The shantytown was home to many families who couldn't afford more traditional housing.
2. The residents of the shantytown lived in shacks made of scraps of metal and wood.
3. The charity organization sent volunteers to build houses in the shantytown.
4. The government had plans to demolish the shantytown and replace it with a public park.
5. The documentary filmmaker spent time living in the shantytown to better understand the living conditions.