The issue of vulnerable housing requires urgent action and massive investment. By 2030, three billion people—about 40% of the world’s population—will be living without adequate housing. Inadequate or vulnerable housing is disproportionately inhabited by the poor, putting those who are already vulnerable most at risk when earthquakes, windstorms, floods and pandemics strike. Investment in better, safer housing must be prioritized if we are to protect people and assets against future crises.

Following the implementation and development of hundreds of home improvement designs from Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, data was compiled and analyzed to understand the cost of home improvement and how spending is allocated across different kinds of interventions, specifically Structural Condition Repairs, Habitability Upgrades, Disaster Mitigation Measures and Finishings and Growth. Cost data was compared across different building typologies, hazards, contexts and structural performance objectives, and overall costs compared with the relative cost of new construction. The data highlights many reasons why  preventatively improving vulnerable housing for health and safety before the next disaster is not only crucial but a smart, cost-effective investment, including compared to the alternative of building new housing.