02. Data and Systems for Resilient Housing Programs for Dominica

Following the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Dominica established strong resilience targets for the country. This project will support Dominica in reaching its housing resilience target, which is to achieve 90% of building code-compliant housing units, by focusing on retrofitting existing buildings. Retrofitting is a cost-effective and culturally relevant technique to improve the resilience of homes and their occupants. The project includes a housing survey to understand the gaps between local practices and earthquake and hurricane-proof building techniques. Based on the technical needs and scope of intervention identified through the survey, the project will support the preparation of an ambitious but realistic housing retrofitting strategy for the government of Dominica, prioritizing indigenous populations and women heads of households as beneficiaries. Project outputs also include the preparation of retrofitting guidelines for homeowners and builders to reinforce small buildings. The project is endorsed by the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica (CREAD) and will be implemented by Build Change, an international non-profit specialized in housing resilience across disaster-prone areas.