POST-EARTHQUAKE EMERGENCY AND TEMPORARY HOUSING: THE CASE OF L'AQUILA
Abstract
Following the 2009 earthquake in L’Aquila, which displaced more than 65,000 people, the Italian authorities rapidly established emergency and, subsequently, temporary housing solutions. Initially, residents were accommodated in tent camps and hotels, but within a few months they were relocated to temporary housing built under the M.A.P. project (with 2,262 modular units) and the C.A.S.E. project (comprising 185 apartment buildings with a total of 4,450 dwellings). However, these housing solutions did not fully reflect the actual needs of the affected population, which negatively impacted their psychological well-being and weakened existing social ties. Contributing factors included the remote location of the new settlements from the city centre, and the lack of community infrastructure. While the centralized, state-led approach enabled the swift implementation of housing, it overlooked the involvement of residents and local authorities in decision-making processes. The case of L’Aquila highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach to post-disaster housing, which should be prepared in advance and incorporate technical, organizational, social, psychological, urban, and political dimensions in both its planning and implementation, in order to ensure not only shelter, but also access to public services, inclusion of residents and local communities in decision-making processes, social cohesion, a sense of control over one’s life, and trust in the future.
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