2. Statistical Overview of Damage and Reconstruction

When we assess the self-help housing reconstruction method, we see that in Turkey first of all the central government which these ministries and the general director of disaster affairs and with the local governor of the state level, they look at the 3 different options. One is give them the cash credits, direct financial credits to the homeowner, so what they can do is; they can purchase a new house from the property developer wherein the second aspect, we have the provide technical support plus stage by stage you give some certain payments on construction; to completion of the construction that is delivered to the homeowner. And he again relies on the either a beneficiary managed construction or it could be he relies on the designers of the building contractors who hire, so in that way, that is another process. Whereas in option 3, it is completely a government-managed construction so, in this, they rely on the contractor, so agency driven process and they finish the house and they deliver it to the homeowner so, this is how the self-house mechanism has been conceptualized.

In Turkey, there are three main options for homeowners affected by disasters to rebuild their houses. The first option is cash credits, where homeowners receive financial aid to buy new homes directly from developers. The second option involves technical support, where homeowners receive partial payments throughout the construction process, but they must manage the construction themselves or hire contractors. Finally, the third option involves government-managed construction, where the government hires contractors to build the homes and hands them over to the homeowners. This arrangement allows homeowners to have a choice in how they approach rebuilding.

Think of this process like a restaurant with three different dining options. Option one is like ordering takeout (cash credits); you pay upfront and get food to enjoy at home. Option two is like a buffet (technical support) where you decide what to eat and pay as you go, but you have to manage your plate and choices. Lastly, option three is like having a catering service (government-managed construction) where the food is prepared for you, but you just enjoy the meal without worrying about how it was cooked.

Even in this process, there are some shortcomings; one is the house designs offered by the government have very little regard to local rural living styles and while families can choose to use their own design, this entails hiring an architect which the owner must pay for in manage themselves. So, even though the family is getting an option to choose their own design but he has to pay for the architect or the contractor and here, in this process, though the government is ready to give them training or provide guidance on how to build a technical support, so but it takes a long time to educate the owners about earthquake-safe constructions and design because it depends on their literacy levels, depends on the social and cooperation, how they come in negotiation.

One major issue with the reconstruction process in Turkey is that the government offers housing designs that are not aligned with local lifestyles, especially in rural areas. Homeowners have the option to design their own homes, but they must pay for an architect, which can be a financial burden. Additionally, while the government provides training to educate homeowners about earthquake-safe designs, this education may take a long time and requires homeowners to possess certain levels of literacy and cooperation.

Imagine if a restaurant only offered a fixed menu that didn't reflect local cuisine preferences. While customers could ask to customize their dish, they’d have to hire a private chef to fashion their preferred meal, which could get quite expensive. Furthermore, if this restaurant provided tutorials on how to cook safely, it could take a lot of time to learn, especially for those who don't have previous cooking experience.

In many cases, it has been noted that contractors run away with some basic deposits and maybe having a small verbal agreements with the owners and they run away so, in that way the whole project leaves incomplete. And there is no involvement of owners in important decisions whether to relocate or where to relocate and what kind of input especially, in this process, so that is one of the important things.

A significant problem in the reconstruction process is the lack of accountability among contractors. Some contractors may take initial deposits from homeowners and then abandon the project, leaving homes incomplete. Additionally, homeowners often do not have a say in crucial decisions about where to relocate or how to design their new homes, which limits their control over their own recovery process.

It's like hiring a handyman to fix your kitchen, paying him part of the fee upfront, and then he disappears with your money, leaving your kitchen in worse shape than before. On top of that, if you had no say in what kind of cabinets or fixtures were installed, you might end up with a kitchen that doesn’t fit your taste or needs at all.

In Duzce province after the 1999 earthquake, you can see that in the centres and villages and the district we have the statistical you know, the damage statistics is in providing this table and the house is constructed through the central government financial support, one is the government mass housing process which is about 8004 who is qualified for this; owner of badly damaged or a collapsed house? Self-help similarly, it was almost less than half percentage that is where owner of badly damaged or collapsed house. Whereas, the repair and retrofitting process of 4874 which is about owner of semi damaged house, which means it is possible for the reconstruction.

Following the 1999 earthquake in Duzce, the government initiated various housing reconstruction processes. In total, there were about 8,004 homes constructed through a mass housing program intended for homeowners with badly damaged or collapsed houses. However, nearly half of the qualifying homeowners utilized self-help methods, leading to a smaller number of completed homes. Moreover, there were 4,874 homes repaired through retrofitting, showing a method for those with only semi-damaged homes to reconstruct.

Consider a community affected by a flood where a government decides to help rebuild homes. They might allocate funds to build several new homes directly (like the mass housing program) while others may decide to fix their damaged homes themselves (like the self-help method). Some homeowners might only need minor repairs, similar to how a car might only need a few parts replaced rather than a full rebuild.

If you look at the whole process, in the disaster acts or whatever they have been, it is mainly focus on whether someone owns something and whether it is lost and so that he can be compensated whether in the form of insurance, whether in the form of; then what about a renter; you know he was not having a house and he was completely ignored, so that is where one has to look at how these neglected groups who are basically the renting community. And how they are not to be considered, so that is where in Turkey, there have been some efforts why various agencies have come forward that yes, we also need to take care of these not only the house owners who lost the house but what about 7, 8 tenants or 20 tenants who are living in that apartment, so what about them, who becomes homeless.

The reconstruction efforts often prioritize homeowners and overlook renters who have lost their homes due to disasters. While property owners may receive compensation or aid to rebuild, renters typically do not receive help, leaving them vulnerable and without housing. In Turkey, some organizations have recognized this issue and are working to address the needs of renters, who also face significant challenges after disasters.

Imagine a bakery that loses its building in a fire. The owners might receive funds to rebuild, but the bakers and staff who lived in apartments above the bakery would receive no support and may end up homeless. Recognizing this inequality is crucial in ensuring everyone affected by a disaster receives appropriate assistance.

--