1. Handbook for Post-Disaster Housing and Community Reconstruction
The World Bank
Handbook for Post-Disaster Housing and Community Reconstruction
Jennifer Duyne Barenstein , WHRU, University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland
Shelter Meeting 9a, Geneva, 7-8 May 2009

2. Objectives of Handbook
Assist Bank staff engaged in large-scale post-disaster housing reconstruction programs -- and the Bank’s counterparts in government -- to make decisions about post-disaster policies and programs.
Consolidate experiences, good and bad, from various types of disasters. Identify emerging good practice.
Harmonize thinking with others working in the housing and community reconstruction field (bilateral agencies, NGOs).

3. Objectives of Handbook
Create a community of practice in post-disaster housing and community reconstruction through consultation process and establishing related website (July 2009):
Focus attention on how disaster risk reduction and prevention activities can reduce the need for housing reconstruction or improve its efficiency.

4. Handbook overview GUIDING PRINCIPLES
PART 1: RECONSTRUCTION TASKS AND HOW TO UNDERTAKE THEM
Section 1: Assessing Impact and Defining Reconstruction Policy
Post-Disaster Needs Assessment
Who Gets a House? Social Dimension of Housing Reconstruction
To Resettle or Not to Resettle
Reconstruction Approaches

5. Handbook overview Section 2: Planning Reconstruction
Land Use and Physical Planning
Infrastructure and Services Delivery
Environmental Planning
Housing Design and Construction Technology
Cultural Heritage Conservation

6. Handbook overview Section 3 Project Implementation
Institutional Options for Reconstruction Management
Effective Donor Coordination and Partnerships
Managing the Financial Aspects of Reconstruction  
Section 4 Monitoring and Information Management
Social Communication in Post-Disaster Reconstruction
Information and Communications Technology in Reconstruction
Monitoring and Evaluation

7. Handbook overview PART 2 CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES IN RECONSTRUCTION
The Context of a Reconstruction Project
Community Participation
Compensation and Household Finances
Mitigating the Risk of Corruption
Training Requirements in Reconstruction

8. Handbook overview PART 3: INFORMATION FOR WORLD BANK STAFF
World Bank Response to Crises and Emergencies
Safeguard Policies for Post-Disaster Operations
Financial Management in WB Housing Reconstruction Projects
Procurement Procedures in WB Housing Reconstruction Projects

9. Handbook overview PART 4 TECHNICAL REFERENCES
Principles of Disaster Risk Management
Glossary
Index

10. Why does the World Bank and its Counterparts need a Handbook for post-disaster reconstruction ?
Housing typically accounts for 50 percent or more of damage and losses after disasters;
Amounts are rising due to severity of disasters, population growth and urbanization, informal settlement patterns
More than 95 percent of all deaths caused by disasters occur in developing countries; and losses due to natural disasters are 20 times greater (as a percentage of GDP) in developing countries than in industrialized countries
In spite of important role of non-governmental humanitarian agencies in large-scale disasters, governments generally have a leading role in housing reconstruction in particular with defining policies
Governments have the responsibility to ensure equitable and sustainable reconstruction
Governments often take loan from the to finance recnstruction World Bank
Since 1980, the World Bank has approved more than 500 operations related to disaster management, amounting to more than US$40 billion.

11. Why does the World Bank and its Counterparts need a Handbook for post-disaster reconstruction ?
Reducing the factors that contribute to disaster impacts falls squarely within the World Bank’s mandate and often in existing areas of government/Bank collaboration:
Urban development, local planning and management practices
Housing sector and local infrastructure policy and finance
Environment, forestry and floodplain management
Economic incentives for risk reduction (insurance, building codes)
Disasters and the threat of disasters are dampening economic growth, especially in “hot-spot” countries

12. Challenges in Developing Handbook
Scope of issues to be covered (from assessment to resettlement; from community participation to housing materials and technologies, many more)
Lack of rigorous analysis and consolidation of worldwide reconstruction experience, including urban reconstruction
Fierce debate on many key issues (resettlement, use of vernacular housing technologies, reconstruction approach, compensation schemes), including within the World Bank

13. Challenges in Reconstruction Process
Similar challenges in different countries and disasters, but solutions are unique. Handbook tries to focus on options whenever possible.
Lack of preparation and anticipatory policy-making – compensation schemes, research on improved traditional housing construction methods, land administration systems, record-keeping. Result is having to make too many decisions and gather baseline information, under difficult post-disaster conditions. Handbook may serve as warning to users.

14. Challenges in Reconstruction Process
Coordination of interventions and challenge of harmonizing response (government/NGO, central/local government).
Avoiding disparities in assistance among those affected and between those affected and not affected.
Risk reduction in reconstruction. People reconstruct on their own schedule and in their own way.

15. Challenges in Reconstruction Process
Reconstruction takes more time that government or donors want to admit. Money often runs out – reconstruction is poor cousin of humanitarian response.
The transition between emergency sheltering, transitional shelter, and permanent housing solutions. Avoiding disempowering the affected population and making early decisions that preclude good solutions later.

16. Challenges in Reconstruction Process
Involving affected community in substantive decisions.
Long-term economic effect of disasters on families.
Preserving community and livelihoods in reconstruction and resettlement.
Trying to overcome development problems in reconstruction not fully addressed in normal times.

17. Next Steps Taking comments through May 15 at www.tcgillc.com/pdhh.html
“Final” handbook (August/September 2009)
Development of “Field Guide”–executive summary by chapter (August/September 2009)
Handbook web site (July 2009)
Ongoing feedback and updating
Specific studies related to findings and feedback from users
Use of handbook in Bank/country dialogue and programming (lending and technical assistance)

18. Thank you for your attention!
This project is being carried out by a consortium composed of: