ABSTRACT
The catastrophic Magnitude 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake in China on May 12, 2008 and subsequent recovery presents a unique case of large-scale housing recovery. Housing recovery is arguably the most important aspect of post-disaster recovery (Zhang and Peacock 2010; Peacock et al. 2015). Housing is not only the shelter and primary investment of most residents; it is also a critical component of the local economy and social fabric (Comerio 1998; Campanella 2006). Housing recovery in particular is different from development under normal conditions (Inam 2005; Berke and Campanella 2006; Olshansky and Chang 2009). It can be best characterized as a “compression of development activities in time and in a limited space” (Olshansky et al. 2012, p. 173) which stated simply, means that planning and development happen at a much faster pace and at a much higher level of intensity during disaster recovery. However, swift action can often come at the cost of effectiveness and equity. Therefore, recovery planning also requires careful deliberation, which is usually accomplished by adopting a participatory approach to ensure that recovery decisions capture the diversity of local needs and that they incorporate invaluable local resources and knowledge.
