Quality Indicators in Post-Disaster Housing : Case of the 2017 Coastal El Niño , Piura

Post-disaster reconstruction is a highly complex process that requires many resources, capacities, and skills. Unfortunately, the general population and humanitarian organizations in Peru lack these requirements, whether due to a lack of experience or interest. Post-disaster housing reconstruction programs play a very important role in early recovery by victims. Such housing also helps restore the dignity and the means of subsistence of communities affected by a disaster. In March 2017, the Piura region was affected by the Coastal El Niño phenomenon. This weather event included heavy rainfall of a kind not seen in the last 18 years, causing the Piura River to overflow its banks and leaving behind over 105,369,000 damaged houses in the region. In response to this event, the Universidad de Piura (UDEP) developed a reconstruction program for 12 post-disaster housing units, known as “Vivienda Segura” (“Safe Housing”), in the towns La Campiña and Pedregal Grande, in the district of Catacaos, Piura. In view of the work done by the professionals from the UDEP, the objective of this article is to determine quality indicators for the reconstruction of post-disaster housing based on two key standards: habitability and durability. The methodology used is that of the case study, which includes interviews with experts, professional involved in this reconstruction program, and above all, members of the affected families. These quality indicators, which are currently nonexistent in Peru, will serve as the basis for the reconstruction of different types of post-disaster housing in a range of scenarios.