Shelter Needs Assessment

Short, Medium and Long Term Shelter and Settlement Needs
In Humanitarian Practice the Sheltering of the homeless disaster affected people shall be considered as a process of transition from a state of no shelter to a permanent settlement mode.

The following points should be taken into consideration in relation to process and transition of the settlement planning and shelter provision.
(Assar, 1971; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 1999; Sphere Project, 2000):

• People sleeping on beds or mats should have a minimum of 3.5m2 of floor area or 10m3 of air space. In rooms with high ceilings, double bunk beds may be used.


• Beds or mats should be separated by a minimum distance of 0.75 metres.


• Adequate ventilation is required. The amount of fresh air needed is approximately 20–30m3 per person per hour. It may be necessary to provide mechanical ventilation. Whenever possible, smoking and the use of cooking fires in the shelter should be strongly discouraged.


• An ambient temperature of 15–19 °C is desirable, but lower temperatures can be tolerated with warm clothing. In cold climates, buildings may need extensive repairs and modifications for winter conditions, particularly in conflict situations where windows and insulation material may have been removed or destroyed.


• To avoid very high temperatures in hot climates, buildings can be modified to increase shade, ventilation and thermal capacity, it is required to consider suitable building materials and the cross ventilation while designing the roofs and shades of the shelter.


• Buildings should have emergency exits and fire escapes; the flues of stoves used for space heating should extend outside the building; overloading of electrical circuits should be avoided; lanterns and lamps should be placed or suspended so as to avoid dangers; and liquid fuels should be stored outside the building. Clear instructions on fire hazards and safety practices should be displayed in conspicuous places and drawn to the attention of residents; fire-fighting equipment should be available and properly maintained. A group of volunteers from among the survivors should be taught about the possible fire hazards and trained in the use of fire-fighting equipment.


• Access to sufficient water for drinking, cooking, and personal and domestic hygiene should be provided.


• One wash basin should be provided for every 10 people, or 4–5 metres of washbench for every 100 people; there should be separate benches for men and women, and waste receptacles at each bench. One shower head is needed for every 50 people in temperate climates and one for every 30 people in hot climates. Floors must be disinfected daily.


• Arrangements must be made for human waste disposal. Water-flushed toilets may be available in existing buildings if the water supply has not been interrupted. Outside latrines should be located within 50 metres of the building, but at least 20 metres away from the kitchen, dining hall and water supply.


• One refuse bin of capacity 50–100 litres should be provided for every 12–15 people. The bins should have tightly fitting lids. Special arrangements for the collection of refuse may be needed if the normal collection service is interrupted.

Short Term Shelter Needs

· Evacuation Centre
· Self settled/ grouped camps.
· Safe location
· Control over secondary hazards.
· Safe short term reception Area.
· Tanker /Running water and some toilet facilities for men and women.
· Community Kitchen Space and cooking facilities
· Adequate light and ventilation.
· Weather proofed and insulated resting sleeping provision.
· Changing Space.
· Registering office and desk
· 3.5m2 of floor area or 10m3 of air space
· Medium and long term need assessments

Medium Term Shelter Needs

· Safe and dignified family living space
· Appropriate intermediate shelters
· Long term need assessments
· Community / family temporary Toilet facilities.
· Camp settlement water points within easy reach
· Community meeting Space
· The site should be free of major water-related hazards
· The topography of the land should permit easy drainage and the site should be located above flood level. Rocky, impermeable soil should be avoided.
· Ideally the camp area should be naturally protected from adverse weather conditions.
· Service areas (30 Sq Mts per person, or 45 Sq mt. per person allowing for small gardens, but not for full-scale agricultural activities).
· Food distribution areas should be organized so as to create safe conditions for people collecting food, as well as for those distributing it.
· To facilitate the management and control of communicable diseases, camps should hold no more than 10000–12000 people, or should be subdivided into independent units of no more than 1000 people.
· The site should be provided with at least two access roads for reasons of security and to reduce the risk of the site being cut off due to floods or other problems with roads.
· Shelters should be arranged in rows or in clusters of 10–12 on both sides of a roadat least 10 metres wide to permit easy traffic flow and access by ambulances or fire-fighting vehicles. In tented areas, there should be at least 2 metres between the edge of the road and the tent pegs.
· Built-up areas should be divided by 30 metres wide firebreaks approximately every 300 metres. Firebreaks can be used for locating roads and recreation areas.
· There should be a minimum of 3.5m2 per person inside the shelter in warm climates where cooking is done outside, and 4.5–5.5m2 per person in cold climates where cooking is done inside the shelter.
· Separate accommodation is necessary for unaccompanied children, with provision for adults (welfare staff and/or community volunteers) to stay with them; there should be at least one adult per shelter or room.
·
· Kindergarten
· Medical Sub centre
· Rehab office space
· Value addition effort to meet the minimum shelter standards.
· Easy safe access to the settlement sites and camps
· Planned drainage facility to the siteProvision for water disposals and management

Long Term Shelter Needs

· Provision of Safe and dignified permanent shelter in accordance with the state building byelaws
· Easy access or Establishment of essential civic and public facilities and services available within the neighborhood settlement or as per the state or international standards of settlement planning
· Easy access to water and sanitation facilities at per household basis.
· More sustainable and durable water-supply and waste disposal system
· Provision of Community based development and livelihood related infrastructure facilities.
· Provision of essential village / neighborhood infrastructure.
· Land ownership documents and establishment of an address
· Regular monitoring and maintenance schedule of the public infrastructures established and managed by the local authorities.
· Provision of a safe and well defined children play and recreational areas ensured.A safe guard to environment and its conservation is ensured.