Post-Disaster Sheltering, Temporary Housing and Permanent Housing Recovery

Abstract

In the aftermath of disasters, reestablishing housing is fundamental for individual, household, and community level recovery. For many households, the process can be characterized as multi-staged from sheltering, to temporary housing, and finally permanent housing with some bouncing back and forth between sheltering and temporary housing. For others, the transition can be as simple as obtaining rental housing until repairs are finished to their former permanent home. The nature of the process is shaped by governmental policies at both the national and local levels, the dependence on market mechanisms, involvement by non-governmental agencies as well as a multitude of socio-demographic and socio-economic factors. This chapter reviews historical and current research literature on post-disaster housing recovery and fruitful areas for future research are identified.