Measuring success of housing recovery

Measuring success solely by the number of houses rebuilt can obscure the fact that people’s needs are more complex. In a post-disaster situation, the number of houses constructed is often seen as an achievement that the government or recovery agencies can be proud of. These agencies face pressure to report figures influenced by political considerations. The primary measure of accountability tends to be how quickly the recovery budget is spent, as reflected in the number of houses built. Frequently, news reports highlight the number of houses constructed, emphasizing the accomplishments of the government and housing agencies.

Actually, house construction should serve as a starting point for homeowners to improve their living conditions and increase income. Focusing only on building the house, other essential services like clean water, electricity, sanitation, and roads connecting clinics, schools, and livelihood areas are often overlooked. Recovery efforts require that all these elements are in place to ensure people have proper housing and better access to these services.

We, therefore, need to consider how we define the success of recovery. There are at least two ways to approach it. Success can be seen as meeting homeowners' needs and ensuring long-term sustainability. Neither of these indicators can be observed immediately during the government recovery phase. It might take 2 to 5 years after the recovery program ends. However, we can establish pathways toward genuine recovery.

Efforts to address the needs of affected individuals are evident in the response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan. There were a series of community consultations. Housing recovery advisors see this as a crucial step, emphasizing the importance of listening carefully to the needs and intentions of those impacted. Moving from emergency or temporary housing to reconstructed or repaired homes requires strong connections among residents. These connections can help accelerate recovery and ensure all codes and regulations are followed. Such initiatives can be fostered by building community cohesion during ongoing consultations and by encouraging resident involvement in recovery planning.

Community consultation is crucial not only after disasters but also in development projects. Habitat for Humanity Indonesia applies this approach at the beginning of slum upgrading in Tanjung Kait, Indonesia. It involves a series of consultations with various stakeholders: homeowners, local government, public works, government housing agencies, builders, building material vendors, and others. Through these efforts, 110 households received support to secure land legally and to build houses with proper public infrastructure. These homeowners will not only live in durable houses but also benefit from better access to health and livelihood resources.

The second approach to achieving success is ensuring sustainability. Therefore, the housing market ecosystem should be developed within the recovery pathways. Among these initiatives, the presence of skilled builders or contractors, wholesalers, and financial institutions is important. In reality, developing the ecosystem is often overlooked. People realize this when the houses are already built, and the recovery momentum has ended. It is a considerable loss.

Arwin Soelaksono

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