Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Japan for the underlying policies related to post-disaster housing reconstruction
even if the housing issues are also large and complex. Unlike planning related
programs, the organization of government programs and funding processes for
temporary housing were already established and it was possible to start the process
for planning temporary housing almost immediately after the disaster. However, the
fi nal permanent housing reconstruction phase depends on land use planning and
land preparation, and therefore is directly impacted by the time requirements and
delays in recovery planning and implementation.
Mirroring housing recovery phases theorized by Quarantelli (
1995
), government
support for housing recovery in Japan normally comes in three phases: (1) provision
of shelters for immediate evacuation and occupancy, (2) provision of temporary
housing, and (3) support for permanent reconstruction in the form of grants for
housing damage, provision of land in relocation areas, and construction of public
subsidized rental housing for survivors. According to the Act Concerning Support
for Reconstructing Livelihood of Disaster Victims of 1998, depending on the level
of damage, homeowners can receive up to three million yen (about U.S. $30,000)
for houses damaged by a natural disaster. This policy was fi rst created after the 1995
Kobe Earthquake when homeowners lacked rebuilding funds and it has been used in
recent disasters such as the 2004 Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake. This support has
been crucial to assist households in rebuilding.
After the GEJE, the evacuation shelter phase began immediately on March 11
and continued through the fi rst year. The temporary housing phase started about a
month after the disaster and has continued for the fi rst 3 years and will continue at
least a few more years in most impacted areas, and longer in Fukushima Prefecture.
Because of limitations and complications of land availability, it took longer than
hoped to erect all the temporary housing needed in the GEJE disaster area. To be
more responsive to the situation, some policies were implemented at a large scale
for the fi rst time in Japan, such as the use of wooden temporary housing, and the use of
private rental apartments as “designated” (
minashi
) temporary housing.
Many displaced residents continue to wait in temporary housing as land recon-
struction negotiations and decisions continue and sites for permanent housing are
constructed. Most permanent housing reconstruction, both private homes and
government-constructed public housing, are being built in areas where new lots
have to be created as part of recovery projects. For the collective relocation pro-
gram, affected residents can sell their land in hazardous areas, and in turn, buy or
rent new residential lots in higher elevation areas and rebuild private homes on the
new lots prepared through the program. Residents participating in the land readjust-
ment and raising program face a similar process to reconstruct their houses on raised
land after new lots are prepared. Most of the more than 20,000 planned public
housing units will also be built in new higher elevation areas. The fi rst public housing
units have already been completed. However, construction of public housing is
planned to continue for 5 years, and in Fukushima Prefecture it will take longer.
In many places, permanent housing reconstruction depends upon the completion of
the land use planning and implementation of recovery projects. Early observation
suggests that permanent housing reconstruction takes longer with relocation
projects than for in-situ reconstruction.
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