The Impact of Post-disaster Housing Reconstruction Policies on Different Beneficiary Groups: The Case of Bam, Iran

Abstract

Disaster management studies have demonstrated that housing reconstruction programs often lead to different levels of community recovery. Yet, insufficient knowledge still exists about how reconstruction policies and decisions produce diverse impacts among different social groups. The purpose of this paper is to explore why and how housing reconstruction policies impact households in different ways. This research focuses on low-income housing programs imple- mented in response to disasters. It examines post- disaster reconstruction policies through the lenses of a comprehensive body of knowledge about the evolution of housing policy in developing coun- tries over the last seven decades. Using a set of indicators from pre- and post-disaster conditions among six household categories, the qualitative enquiry examines the housing reconstruction program conducted after the 2003 earthquake in Bam. Empirical results show that the scant attention to different categories of tenancy, families’ socioeconomic conditions, and demographic changes (before and after the disaster) led authorities to adopt housing reconstruction poli- cies that benefited some groups of households, while having the opposite effect on others. Single- family house- owners, for instance, rebuilt their permanent houses quickly and resumed normal activities in a relatively short period of time. Members of extended families – who before the disaster relied on a complex social fabric based on proximity – were instead adversely affected by policies that allocated them a unit in a residen- tial complex located in the city outskirts. Results reveal the inefficiency of the one- policy- for-all approach in housing reconstruction. The coexis- tence of a multiplicity of measures and programs can allow households to choose the solution that best fits their needs, conditions, and expectations. Findings also highlight a gap between general housing and housing reconstruction policies in developing countries. Pre-disaster policies must be constantly assessed to identify and understand their effectiveness and drawbacks in reducing vulnerabilities. Post-disaster reconstruction brings an opportunity to do this and ensure a sustainable development based on resilience enhancement and disaster risk reduction.