This research report is the final report of the AHURI inquiry: Housing policy and disasters: better coordinating actors, responses and data. The research inquiry looked at improving how government groups work together to strengthen housing policy and planning for disasters, the housing disaster recovery approaches that best help prevent future disaster, and improving how agencies use data in housing supply processes to support disaster-ready housing and communities. 

The coordination and integration of housing policy and settlement planning with disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery is essential, as housing remediation is a vital element of disaster recovery. Furthermore, settlement planning influences where people live and, with this, the disaster risk exposure. 

Climate-related disasters are set to increase. To keep up, policies, practices and priorities must be better coordinated to meet both short- and long-term needs. Governments at all levels need to better coordinate housing policies and practices to reduce the impact of disasters on households.

Key recommendations

• Making disasters a planning priority. Consider natural hazards and disaster risk reduction in housing strategies – including location and quality of housing.
• Developing a ‘fourth R for resilience’ (in addition to ‘rates, roads and rubbish’) for essential local government mandates.
• Putting the trust back into data. Address limitations in data sharing through stronger data governance regimes.
• Using post-disaster housing recovery funds to support local economies.
• Treating temporary housing villages as a last resort.
• Acknowledging that increasing numbers of people do not have housing disaster insurance.
• Simplifying complex urban planning processes, governance structures and policies to be data responsive.