The Haiti Shelter Sector Assessment (HSSA) is a comprehensive evaluation of the shelter sector in Haiti, conducted by the International Housing Coalition (IHC) under a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The assessment was conducted between July 2010 and February 2011, approximately one year after the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010.
The HSSA is based on a review of secondary source materials and two visits to Haiti to meet with USAID staff, shelter organizations, and housing experts from the international donor community, NGOs, the private sector, the IHRC, and the Government of Haiti. The primary author of the assessment was David Painter, IHC consultant, with contributions from other experts, including Steve Giddings, Barbara Lipman, Larry Hannah, Mike Shea, Peter Kimm, Marc Roger, Sabine Malebranche, Karoline Raeder, and Bob Dubinsky.
The assessment is presented in two parts: Part 1 – Summary and Conclusions, and Part 2 – Principal Issues Regarding Shelter Sector Recovery in Haiti. Part 1 provides background on the effect of the earthquake on the shelter sector and the USAID response through December 31, 2010, and summarizes the objectives and underlying principles of the assessment. It also presents information on the present conditions in the shelter sector and the structure of the 2011 USAID program designed to assist the shelter recovery process.
The HSSA identifies several key issues related to shelter sector recovery in Haiti, including USAID-specific issues, broader strategic issues, and issues related to critical aspects of the shelter recovery process. These issues include the focus of USAID bilateral shelter investments, the scale of USAID shelter projects, USAID assistance for safe return to communities in Port-au-Prince, dealing with households that lived in hazardous locations, institutional arrangements for implementing shelter sector recovery, GOH communication with the public about shelter reconstruction, participatory planning and implementation of shelter reconstruction, rubble removal, secure land tenure, provision of basic infrastructure, provision of housing finance and housing microfinance, transitional shelters and shelter reconstruction, technical and financial assistance for displaced households, and rental housing.
The assessment presents 47 recommendations to USAID, which are intended to address the complex challenges facing the shelter sector in Haiti. These recommendations involve using USAID funds and staff to support shelter sector recovery, as well as collaborating with the Government of Haiti, other donors, and the NGO community to achieve these goals.
The HSSA is intended to be updated, revised, and expanded upon as the shelter recovery process unfolds in Haiti. The assessment provides a comprehensive evaluation of the shelter sector in Haiti and identifies key issues and recommendations for USAID and other stakeholders to address in order to support shelter sector recovery in the country.
The assessment highlights the need for a coordinated and comprehensive approach to shelter sector recovery in Haiti, involving USAID, the Government of Haiti, other donors, and the NGO community. It also emphasizes the importance of addressing the complex challenges facing the shelter sector, including rubble removal, secure land tenure, provision of basic infrastructure, and provision of housing finance and housing microfinance.
The HSSA provides a valuable resource for stakeholders involved in shelter sector recovery in Haiti, including USAID, the Government of Haiti, other donors, and the NGO community. It provides a comprehensive evaluation of the shelter sector in Haiti and identifies key issues and recommendations for addressing the complex challenges facing the sector.