Transitions to recovery: The shelter and housing journey following disaster

In this research, the authors present an adapted model to better reflect the nuances in these experiences found at both the community (macro) and the individual household levels (micro) with regards to post-disaster shelter and housing. The researchers show detail that is not fully represented in the existing literature, such as experiences of no shelter and the extensive use of temporary accommodation offered by family and friends throughout the relief, transitional and recovery periods. They also divide temporary housing into two distinct varieties (transitional and semi-permanent), adding these as an update to previous models of housing recovery.

Through two household surveys, one conducted at four months and the other at three years following Typhoon Yolanda, across the same twelve coastal barangays in the Philippines, the researchers show that those experiencing the worst levels of housing damage show more non-linear and out-of-sequence movement in their journeys to recovery. They also discover that those with pre-existing vulnerabilities in the form of weaker housing and unstable employment before Yolanda experienced increased shelter and housing instability for longer periods of time after Yolanda, and poorer rebuild and repair quality in short-term. These findings add to the growing yet still limited body of longitudinal research in disaster risk reduction. While the authors highlight the transitional phase as a valuable window of opportunity for reducing vulnerability, we also advocate for research into the impacts of pre-existing vulnerability on long-term recovery outcomes.