Safer Homes, Stronger Communities

Resources for Reconstructing Housing and Communities after Natural Disasters

• http://www.housingreconstruction.org/housing/

Table of Contents

Here you can open or download the complete handbook in pdf format, and access both online (html) and pdf versions of individual handbook chapters. For background on the handbook, see Introduction. For details about the Web site, go to About.

Complete Handbook    

Open/download here -->                  Open PDF (56.5 MB)

 

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Individual Handbook Chapters

Click on chapter titles below to view chapters online or on link at right to open/download pdf version.

 

                                            View online                                                                   Open PDF

Front Matter (Title Page, Acknowledgements, Authors, Notes, Table of Contents)	Open PDF (976 KB)
Note to the Policy Maker Section	Open PDF (450 KB)
Note to the Project Manager Section	Open PDF (504 KB)
Handbook Guiding Principles	Open PDF (707 KB)
PART 1  Reconstruction Tasks and How to Undertake Them
Section 1  Assessing Impact and Defining Reconstruction Policy
Chapter 1    Early Recovery: The Context for Housing and Community Reconstruction	Open PDF (2.98 MB)
Chapter 2    Assessing Damage and Setting Reconstruction Policy	Open PDF (3.8 MB)
Chapter 3    Communication in Post-Disaster Reconstruction	Open PDF (2.41 MB)
Chapter 4    Who Gets a House? The Social Dimension of Housing Reconstruction	Open PDF (2.41 MB)
Chapter 5    To Relocate or Not to Relocate	Open PDF (3.45 MB)
Chapter 6    Reconstruction Approaches	Open PDF (2.87 MB)
Section 2  Planning Reconstruction
Chapter 7    Land Use and Physical Planning	Open PDF (3.69 MB)
Chapter 8    Infrastructure and Services Delivery	Open PDF (3.07 MB)
Chapter 9    Environmental Planning	Open PDF (2.67) MB)
Chapter 10  Housing Design and Construction Technology	Open PDF (2.31 MB)
Chapter 11  Cultural Heritage Conservation	Open PDF (2.53 MB)
Section 3  Project Implementation
Chapter 12  Community Organizing and Participation	Open PDF (2.41 MB)
Chapter 13  Institutional Options for Reconstruction Management	Open PDF (2.4 MB)
Chapter 14  International, National, and Local Partnerships in Reconstruction	Open PDF (3.21 MB)
Chapter 15  Mobilizing Financial Resources and Other Reconstruction Assistance	Open PDF (4.9 MB)
Chapter 16  Training Requirements in Reconstruction	Open PDF (3.13 MB)
PART 2  Monitoring and Information Management
Chapter 17  Information and Communications Technology in Reconstruction	Open PDF (4.33 MB)
Chapter 18  Monitoring and Evaluation	Open PDF (2.48 MB)
Chapter 19  Mitigating the Risk of Corruption	Open PDF (2.22 MB)
PART 3  Information on World Bank Projects and Policies
Chapter 20  World Bank Response to Crises and Emergencies	Open PDF (846 KB)
Chapter 21  Safeguard Policies for World Bank Reconstruction Projects	Open PDF (453 KB)
Chapter 22  Financial Management in World Bank Reconstruction Projects	Open PDF (445 KB)
Chapter 23  Procurement in World Bank Reconstruction Projects	Open PDF (440 KB)
PART 4  Technical References
Disaster Types and Impacts	Open PDF (655 KB)
Disaster Risk Management in Reconstruction	Open PDF (1.12 MB)
Matrix of Disaster Project Features	Open PDF (517 KB)
Glossary	Open PDF (914 KB)
Index	Open PDF (588 KB)

Handbook Guiding Principles

1. A good reconstruction policy helps reactivate communities and empowers people to rebuild their housing, their lives, and their livelihoods.
2. Reconstruction begins the day of the disaster.
3. Community members should be partners in policy making and leaders of local implementation.
4. Reconstruction policy and plans should be financially realistic but ambitious with respect to disaster risk reduction.
5. Institutions matter and coordination among them improves outcomes.
6. Reconstruction is an opportunity to plan for the future and to conserve the past.
7. Relocation disrupts lives and should be minimized.
8. Civil society and the private sector are important parts of the solution.
9. Assessment and monitoring can improve reconstruction outcomes.
10. To contribute to long-term development, reconstruction must be sustainable.
11. The last word: every reconstruction project is unique.