Shelter shopping: Where the built environment and social systems meet
May 1, 2021 - Spearing, Lauryn A.; Stephens, Keri K.; Faust, Kasey M.
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EmailJournal or Book Title: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
DOI:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102161
Abstract: Since 2009, disasters have displaced each year at least 15 million people worldwide. Immediately post-disaster, emergency shelters serve those displaced. The sheltering system often consists of formal (managed by the government) and spontaneous shelters (managed by volunteers). These two types of shelters may offer different resources with atmospheres that can vary widely. Displaced persons often select between shelters based on their personal preferences, engaging in what some refer to as shelter shopping. We seek to understand the intersection between social systems and sheltering systems; we examine reports on shelter counts, news, and social media about 14 emergency shelters that served those displaced by a 2018 California wildfire. Our aim is threefold: 1) to study demand at shelters, 2) to understand why people chose to stay at spontaneous shelters, and 3) to investigate what sheltering needs precipitated a tent city that occurred in a Walmart parking lot. Results show that at one time up to 40% of displaced persons staying inside were hosted in spontaneous shelters and as such, formal shelter managers faced uncertain demand. According to our research, people chose to stay at spontaneous shelters because of the social bonds afforded there and a dislike for rules at formal shelters.
Type of Publication: Article
