Emergency housing

[J & D Goldman]

>From Dick Fishbeck:
>I guess we should confine our emergency shelter discussion to
emergency shelter.

Obviously there are some rather healthy disagreements about the
Katrina aftermath - who to blame, who deserves public assistance, who
doesn't, etc.   Perhaps we can direct the energy.

Here is the GOOD news.  I have a note from a dome list reader that at
least one major insurance company is finally asking THE question:
  What can be build that will still be there after the next one?

I've been waiting to hear that for a long time.  I've long thought
that even if your home is entirely replaced by your insurance company,
and no one was hurt, you still lose a lot of irreplaceable items and
go through a lot of aggravation when everything you own is scattered
to the 4 winds and soaked.  Better to have a home structure that has a
good chance of survival. If insurance companies start accepting domes,
or even encouraging domes, or who knows, even giving better rates for
domes, wow is all I have to say.  Even if you feel its the right thing
for the wrong reason, there might still be a trickle down affect to
municipal codes so we can get past the classic building inspector
(e.g. I ain't never gonna sign a permit for THAT...)  and at least
have the option!

Sal Cerda asks some cogent questions:
---------------------------------
The topic of emergency shelter frequently comes up after a natural
disaster.
What does not get discussed is what it takes to provide, erect and use
emergency housing.  Let's confine the discussion to domes (this IS a
dome
list.)

First, some general questions:
Question 1- Who pays for these domes? Governments?  NGOs? The users?
Question 2- What kind of foundation will be required?  Emergency
housing should
require little or no foundation.
Question 3- Where will these domes be erected?  Suitable ground must
be located
and property rights should be considered.

Emergency shelter implies temporary shelter in all of the above.
Disposing of a
temporary shelter or subsequent reuse needs to be considered
beforehand. Also,
emergency shelter implies a minimal useful spaces, although it does
not require
a minimalist structure.
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When I look at the dollar figures our federal government is spending
on stopgap measures (cruise ships, trailers, etc.) I have to ask how
we could BETTER invest those funds - a warehouse full of deployable
housing, ready to go.  Certainly there are different levels of need.
Those people in Pakistan are literally dying in the cold rain with not
so much as a tree to get under.  Even tents would save lives there.
They aren't worried about real estate issues and sewer hookups.

 But back to Sal's points, and there are more - what are the issues
and what will it take to get to YES?  Sorry to say humans are crisis
driven - but therein lies an opportunity.

- Dan G.