colonia
n.— «Colonias—the Spanish word for neighborhoods—are unplanned immigrant communities that sprouted in the 1980s. Many areas lack plumbing, electricity, drainage and paved roads. Authorities have tried to improve conditions and prevent new colonias, but they’ve continued to grow. Officials estimate 500,000 people live in colonias.» —“Poverty-stricken colonias turn to technology for medical help” by Lynn Brezosky in Alton Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) Feb. 11, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
While reading Great Expectations (Bookshop|Amazon) by Charles Dickens, a listener in Arlington, Texas, is surprised when one of the characters inherits some money, which Dickens describes as a cool four thousand. Were they really using cool that way...