Disaster Recovery and Resiliency

Post-disaster in-situ aid: factors associated with housing beneficiaries’ perceived long-term recovery

Prakriti Sardana — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 22:35:23 +0000

Post-disaster in-situ aid: factors associated with housing beneficiaries’ perceived long-term recovery Prakriti Sardana Thu, 06/19/2025 - 16:35 Ilham Siddiq , Amy Javernick-Will

Post-disaster economic recovery remains a critical yet understudied aspect of long-term resilience, particularly at the individual beneficiary level. This study investigates the factors that enabled perceived long-term economic recovery among beneficiaries of in-situ housing and livelihood assistance after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia. While prior research has examined macroeconomic recovery and short-term outcomes of assistance, little attention has been given to beneficiaries' subjective perceptions of their economic recovery. Using mixed methods, we analyzed survey data from 92 in-situ housing beneficiaries to assess the influence of housing assistance, livelihood support, and social capital on their perceived long-term economic recovery. Statistical models indicated that housing assistance modality, material type, and satisfaction at move-in can significantly shape economic recovery. Livelihood assistance effectiveness varies based on alignment with beneficiaries’ skills, with cash assistance offering greater flexibility for self-sustained recovery. Social capital emerges as a crucial driver of economic resilience, with strong intra- and inter-household connections positively associated with higher perceived recovery. Our findings highlight the importance of balanced beneficiary involvement in housing reconstruction, contextually appropriate and disaster-resilient livelihood support, and the preservation of social networks in enabling long-term economic recovery.

Siddiq, I., Javernick-Will, A., & Kelly, K. (2025). Post-disaster in-situ aid: factors associated with housing beneficiaries' perceived long-term recovery. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 105653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105653

Siddiq, I., Javernick-Will, A., & Kelly, K. (2025). Post-disaster in-situ aid: factors associated with housing beneficiaries' perceived long-term recovery. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 105653.

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Homeowner Priorities for Sustainability and Fire Resilience When Rebuilding Homes after Wildfire

Prakriti Sardana — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 18:09:46 +0000

Homeowner Priorities for Sustainability and Fire Resilience When Rebuilding Homes after Wildfire Prakriti Sardana Sat, 04/26/2025 - 12:09 Noah Gershon , Amy Javernick-Will

After a disaster, homeowners’ rebuilding decisions can reshape the built environment to mitigate hazards and global climate effects. In this study, we explore homeowners’ rebuilding priorities of fire resilience and sustainability, and what influences these priorities. We base this exploration on surveys conducted with over 300 homeowners rebuilding after the 2021 Marshall Fire near Boulder, Colorado. To determine what supports and inhibits the adoption of household sustainability and fire resilience measures for homes, we statistically analyzed survey data on homeowner rebuilding priorities and factors influencing the rebuilding priorities of sustainability and fire resilience. We found that homeowners prioritized cost the most, followed by aesthetics and sustainability, with fire resilience also highly prioritized; those that prioritized sustainability also prioritized fire resilience. However, financial factors did not significantly predict the prioritization of sustainability and fire resilience. We also found that beliefs about climate change and political ideology predicted the prioritization of sustainability, and support for fire resilience policy predicted the prioritization of fire resilience. These results suggest that homeowners consider the priorities of fire resilience and sustainability as related and indicate synergies that could be exploited if the most highly prioritized rebuilding priorities are combined.

Gershon, N., Liel, A. B., Javernick-Will, A., Albright, E., & Dickinson, K. L. (2025). Homeowner Priorities for Sustainability and Fire Resilience When Rebuilding Homes after Wildfire. Natural Hazards Review, 26(3), 04025022. https://doi.org/10.1061/NhrefO.NHENG-2147

Gershon, N., Liel, A. B., Javernick-Will, A., Albright, E., & Dickinson, K. L. (2025). Homeowner Priorities for Sustainability and Fire Resilience When Rebuilding Homes after Wildfire. Natural Hazards Review, 26(3), 04025022.

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Should I stay or should I go?: Reasons beneficiaries decide to stay or leave aid-provided in-situ housing

Prakriti Sardana — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 19:48:05 +0000

Should I stay or should I go?: Reasons beneficiaries decide to stay or leave aid-provided in-situ housing Prakriti Sardana Wed, 09/18/2024 - 13:48 Ilham Siddiq , Amy Javernick-Will

Providing in-situ housing after a disaster is thought to prevent issues resulting in housing inoccupancy. In-situ housing, or housing built at the original site, aims to retain beneficiary connection to people, place, and livelihoods, addressing many noted challenges of building at relocated sites. However, beneficiaries have left thousands of aid-provided in-situ houses in post-tsunami Aceh, Indonesia. This research conducted and analyzed questionnaires administered to beneficiaries that both stayed and left their provided in-situ housing almost two decades post-tsunami, exploring the reasons for their decisions. Results show that while place- and community-based reasons can be reasons to remain in in-situ housing, these can also cause beneficiaries to leave their housing due to place-based trauma and disrupted social capital due to loss. In addition, economic and personal conditions influence decisions to stay or leave. Economic conditions, including opportunities for education and more formal livelihoods, particularly for those that were younger, were stated as reasons beneficiaries left, whereas older beneficiaries with less education, more intact social capital, and livelihoods tied to the land, such as farming and fishing, tended to remain. These findings reinforce the importance of aligning post-disaster housing strategies with the lived dynamics of the affected individuals, emphasizing the need for solutions that not only address immediate housing concerns but also foster social and economic resilience to enable long-term housing occupancy.

Siddiq, I., & Javernick-Will, A. (2024). Should I stay or should I go?: Reasons beneficiaries decide to stay or leave aid-provided in-situ housing. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 106, 104454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104454

Siddiq, I., & Javernick-Will, A. (2024). Should I stay or should I go?: Reasons beneficiaries decide to stay or leave aid-provided in-situ housing. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 106, 104454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.104454

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Post-Fire Jurisdictional Decision-Making for Resiliency and Sustainability Outcomes

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Post-Fire Jurisdictional Decision-Making for Resiliency and Sustainability Outcomes Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 10/25/2023 - 18:00 Megan Ellery , Amy Javernick-Will

The increasing frequency and size of wildfires across the U.S. motivates the growing need to identify how affected communities can rebuild sustainably and resiliently. This study examines the jurisdictional decision-making process surrounding one important class of sustainability and resiliency decisions, focusing on energy and wildfire building codes for housing reconstruction. Through 22 interviews with staff and elected officials in three jurisdictions impacted by Colorado's Marshall Fire, we identify factors influencing decisions. Code decisions varied across jurisdictions and, in some cases, building codes were relaxed, while in other cases, increased resiliency and sustainability standards were adopted after the fire. Jurisdictions with more experience had more certainty regarding code costs and effectiveness, leading to more stringent code adoption. Thus, findings encourage jurisdictions to create rebuilding plans pre-disaster to reduce the impact of uncertainty in post-disaster decision-making. The data also indicate that while local jurisdictions are well-suited to work cooperatively with homeowners impacted by disasters to return to the community, the state can play a role by informing or mandating disaster plans or establishing minimum code requirements.

Ellery, M., Javernick-Will, A., Liel, A., and K. Dickinson (2023). “Post-Fire Jurisdictional Decision-Making for Resiliency and Sustainability Outcomes”. Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability. 10.1088/2634-4505/ad02b8.

Ellery, M., Javernick-Will, A., Liel, A., and K. Dickinson (2023). Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability. 10.1088/2634-4505/ad02b8.

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Capacity-Building to Support Safer Housing through Appropriate Hurricane Strap Use

Anonymous — Wed, 31 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Capacity-Building to Support Safer Housing through Appropriate Hurricane Strap Use Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 05/30/2023 - 18:00 Briar Goldwyn , Amy Javernick-Will

Amid rising global disaster risks, governmental and nongovernmental organizations have called for increased technical assistance to build capacity within communities to build safer housing. However, limited research has evaluated these approaches to building technical construction capacity. This study discusses the process of collaboratively designing an approach to build construction capacity for safer housing, evaluating this process through measures of builders’ self-efficacy and knowledge of mitigation measure efficacy. The capacity-building focuses particularly on the appropriate use of hurricane straps in wood roof construction in Puerto Rico, which was identified as an area where engineering recommendations did not align with many builders’ perceptions of safety. Three phases were used to design, implement, and assess this capacity-building approach. First, we interviewed staff in local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to identify propositions for building technical construction capacity in Puerto Rico. We then used these propositions as a framework to design the capacity-building approach. Finally, we piloted and evaluated this approach with existing trainers and community members who are building and repairing housing in Puerto Rico, interviewing them after implementation to analyze shifts in self-efficacy and knowledge of mitigation measure efficacy. The results reveal interviewees’ increased perceived self-efficacy and knowledge of mitigation measure efficacy following capacity-building, leading them to express increased willingness to mitigate hurricane risks to housing with appropriately installed hurricane straps. Overall, this study provides evidence that centering people’s perspectives is needed in technical construction capacity-building to influence builders’ self-efficacy and knowledge of mitigation measure efficacy and promote safer housing construction and suggests an approach that can be used to center these perspectives.

Goldwyn, B., Velasquez, C., Liel, A., Javernick-Will, A., and M. Koschmann (2023). “Capacity-Building to Support Safer Housing through Appropriate Hurricane Strap Use” Natural Hazards Review. 10.1061/NhrefO.NHENG-170.

Goldwyn, B., Velasquez, C., Liel, A., Javernick-Will, A., and M. Koschmann (2023). Natural Hazards Review. 10.1061/NhrefO.NHENG-1708

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Seismic safety of informally-constructed reinforced concrete houses in Puerto Rico

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Seismic safety of informally-constructed reinforced concrete houses in Puerto Rico Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/21/2022 - 18:00 Briar Goldwyn , Amy Javernick-Will

More than 1.6 billion people worldwide live in informally constructed houses, many of which are reinforced with concrete. Patterns of past earthquake damage suggest that these homes have significant seismic vulnerabilities, endangering their occupants. The characteristics of these houses vary widely with local building practices. In addition, these vulnerabilities are potentially exacerbated by incremental construction practices and building practices that address wind/flood risk in multi-hazard environments. Yet, despite the ubiquity of this type of construction, there have not been efforts to systematically assess the seismic risks to support risk-reducing design and construction strategies. In this study, we developed a method to assess the seismic collapse capacity of informally constructed housing that accounts for local building practices and materials, quantifying the effect of building characteristics on collapse risk. We exercise the method to assess seismic performance of housing in the US. Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico, which has high seismic hazard and experiences frequent hurricanes. This analysis showed that heavy construction, often due to the addition of a second story, and the presence of an open ground story leads to a high collapse risk. Severely corroded steel bars could also worsen performance. Although houses with infill performed better than those with an open ground story, confined masonry construction techniques produced a major reduction in collapse risk when compared to infilled or open-frame construction. Infill construction with partial height walls performed very poorly. Well-built reinforced concrete column jackets and the addition of infill in open first-story bays can reduce the greater risks of open-ground-story houses. These findings, which are quantified in the results portion of this article, are intended to support the development of design and construction recommendations for safer housing.

Murray, P., Feliciano, D., Goldwyn, B., Liel, A., Arroyo, O., and A. Javernick-Will. (2022). “Seismic safety of informally-constructed reinforced concrete houses in Puerto Rico". Earthquake Spectra. 10.1177/87552930221123085

Murray, P., Feliciano, D., Goldwyn, B., Liel, A., Arroyo, O., and A. Javernick-Will. (2022). Earthquake Spectra. 10.1177/87552930221123085

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Identifying misalignments between the informal construction sector's perceptions and engineering assessments of housing safety in future disasters for capacity development.

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 22:53:23 +0000

Identifying misalignments between the informal construction sector's perceptions and engineering assessments of housing safety in future disasters for capacity development. Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 06/09/2022 - 16:53 Briar Goldwyn , Yarelis González Vega , Amy Javernick-Will , Abbie Liel

This study investigates areas where perceptions of those working in Puerto Rico's informal construction sector and engineering assessments of housing safety in future disasters misalign, identifying areas for construction capacity development to reduce hurricane and earthquake risk. We compared survey results from 345 individuals building and advising in the informal construction sector to the recommendations from our prior work assessing wind and seismic performance of informally constructed housing configurations. The study found four misalignments between perceptions and engineering assessments, where survey respondents did not agree with the recommendations. For wood-frame housing, our findings reveal builders and residents may not be prioritizing hurricane straps to strengthen key connections and avoid catastrophic failures because they do not view hurricane straps as efficacious. For reinforced concrete/masonry housing, we found builders and residents are associating heaviness with safety; building confined, rather than infill masonry; and building open-ground-story housing with weak columns, presenting seismic risks. Each of these misalignments was based on local expert insight about unsafe practices that are due to technical construction capacity rather than solely resource constraints. This study contributes to literature on the housing safety perceptions driving informal construction, provides an approach for comparison of local and scientific knowledge, and supports capacity development for disaster risk reduction.

Goldwyn, B., Vega, Y. G., Javernick-Will, A., & Liel, A. B. (2022). Identifying misalignments between the informal construction sector's perceptions and engineering assessments of housing safety in future disasters for capacity development. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 103105.

Goldwyn, B., Vega, Y. G., Javernick-Will, A., & Liel, A. B. (2022). International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 103105.

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Factors influencing public beliefs regarding the cause of induced earthquakes

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Factors influencing public beliefs regarding the cause of induced earthquakes Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/18/2022 - 00:00 Andrew Tracy , Amy Javernick-Will , Abbie Liel

The central USA has experienced an increase in the frequency and magnitude of humaninduced
earthquakes. The earthquakes are caused by the deep-well injection of water produced
from oil and gas development. However, the novelty of these earthquakes and the
politicized nature of oil and gas have resulted in competing explanations for their causes,
leading to public uncertainty. To determine public beliefs about the causes of the earthquakes
and the factors that influence these beliefs, we administered and analyzed a household
survey. We found that the more individuals experienced the adverse effects of the
earthquakes, the more they agreed that they were caused by the injection of wastewater
from oil and gas production. Further, individuals with more positive perceptions of oil
and gas industry activity more strongly believed that the earthquakes are caused by nature.
These findings show that beliefs around technological, energy-related hazards are shaped
by hazard exposure and views about the human activity causing the hazard. Understanding
what the public believes to be the cause of the earthquakes is important, as it can impact
policy and personal interventions taken to mitigate risk.

Tracy, A., Javernick-Will, A., & Liel, A. (2022). Factors influencing public beliefs regarding the cause of induced earthquakes. Natural Hazards, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05386-9

Tracy, A., Javernick-Will, A., & Liel, A. (2022). Natural Hazards, 1-22.

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Multi-hazard housing safety perceptions of those involved with housing construction in Puerto Rico

Anonymous — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 23:04:59 +0000

Multi-hazard housing safety perceptions of those involved with housing construction in Puerto Rico Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 03/23/2022 - 17:04 Briar Goldwyn , Amy Javernick-Will , Abbie Liel

Globally, hazards are increasingly threatening housing each year, and housing constructed outside the formal sector may be particularly vulnerable. Yet, limited studies have investigated the perceptions of those responsible for designing and building this housing. These safety perceptions motivate the informal housing construction practices that ultimately determine housing safety. Thus, this study investigates the multi-hazard housing safety perceptions of individuals involved with housing construction in Puerto Rico. We surveyed 345 builders and hardware store employees across Puerto Rico to understand their perceptions of expected housing damage in hurricanes and earthquakes, important mitigation measures, and barriers to safer housing construction. Our results reveal that prior hazard experience did not influence perceptions of expected housing damage, but previous housing construction experience did. Respondents viewed wood and concrete housing as less safe in hurricanes and earthquakes, respectively. Yet, respondents appeared uncertain about the importance of mitigation measures for concrete houses in earthquakes, likely due to a combination of limited earthquake experience and “hidden” reinforcement detailing in a reinforced concrete house. Interestingly, our results also show that respondents perceive technical construction capacity as a major barrier to safer informal housing construction rather than resource constraints alone. These findings suggest areas for technical construction capacity development for Puerto Rico’s informal construction sector.

Goldwyn, B., Javernick-Will, A., & Liel, A. B. (2022). Multi-hazard housing safety perceptions of those involved with housing construction in Puerto Rico. Sustainability, 14(7), 3802.

Goldwyn, B., Javernick-Will, A., & Liel, A. B. (2022). Sustainability, 14(7), 3802.

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Assessment of hurricane wind performance and potential design modifications for informally constructed housing in Puerto Rico

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Feb 2022 22:47:21 +0000

Assessment of hurricane wind performance and potential design modifications for informally constructed housing in Puerto Rico Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 02/13/2022 - 15:47 Meredith Lochhead , Briar Goldwyn , Casie Venable , Abbie Liel , Amy Javernick-Will

This study assesses the wind performance of various housing typologies representing informal construction practices in Puerto Rico to suggest modifications to enhance housing resilience in hurricanes. Based on fieldwork and interviews, the study defined four base housing typologies and possible variations in design and construction details. Each house was assessed using performance-based static wind analysis of potentially critical components. The results show that the initial governing failure mode in all base house typologies considered is roof panel loss due to tear-through at the fasteners, with subsequent governing failures being panel loss due to failures at the purlin-to-truss connections and failures of the truss-to-wall connections. In-plane wall failures and masonry uplift failures were both found to occur at much higher wind speeds than roof failures. To improve the hurricane performance, several feasible modifications are suggested, including installing hurricane straps at both the truss-to-wall and the purlin-to-truss connections, as well as improving the panel-fastener interface. In the construction of new roofs, this study found that using reduced spacing between roof members, hip roofs instead of gable roofs, and higher roof slopes leads to improved performance. These recommendations can make houses built through informal construction processes safer and more resilient to hurricanes as a form of climate adaptation.

Lochhead, M., Goldwyn, B., Venable, C., Liel, A. B., & Javernick-Will, A. (2022). Assessment of hurricane wind performance and potential design modifications for informally constructed housing in Puerto Rico. Natural Hazards, 1-25.

Lochhead, M., Goldwyn, B., Venable, C., Liel, A. B., & Javernick-Will, A. (2022). Natural Hazards, 1-25.

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