Emergency Shelter Research Articles

Optimising hurricane shelter locations with smart predict-then-optimise framework

ABSTRACT Hurricanes pose an escalating threat to global communities, underscoring the urgent need for robust disaster response strategies. A pivotal component of these strategies involves the establishment of secure shelters. However, the inherent vulnerability of these shelters to hurricane damage frequently undermines their utility. This study introduces a Predict-then-Optimise (PTO) framework designed to support relief agencies in selecting optimal locations for emergency shelters, with an emphasis on minimising potential damage during hurricanes. Employing a two-phase approach, the framework initially predicts potential hurricane-induced damage losses, subsequently utilising these predictions to optimise shelter placement strategies. Nevertheless, conventional PTO methods in shelter planning may lead to suboptimal decisions, primarily because of potential discrepancies between predicted and actual damage losses, given the inherent uncertainties and complexities of hurricane impacts. To address these limitations, our study introduces an advanced smart Predict-then-Optimise (SPO) framework. This SPO framework more cohensively integrates the prediction and optimisation phases, thereby facilitating an adaptive and resilient response to the dynamic challenges posed by hurricanes. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this methodology through a case study in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where the SPO framework successfully identified optimal shelter locations, significantly reducing exposure to high-risk areas.

Review of research on disaster mitigation emergency congregate shelter planning for vulnerable group

The elderly, including individuals with disabilities, women, and children, among other vulnerable evacuees, are the most fragile group during disasters. During major disasters, safely and rapidly transferring vulnerable evacuees to shelters that can meet their sheltering needs is crucial and challenging in emergency rescue work. This article systematically analyzes the sheltering behavior characteristics and sheltering needs of vulnerable evacuees based on relevant research at home and abroad. It also reviews the technical indicators and requirements for emergency shelter planning for vulnerable evacuees, and studies emergency shelter planning models from the perspective of vulnerable evacuees. Finally, it proposes prospects for emergency shelter planning indicators and models based on vulnerable evacuees, providing a reference and guidance for improving and enhancing emergency sheltering strategies for vulnerable evacuees.

Narratives from Staff at an LGBTQIA+ Shelter: Applying Ecological Systems Theory to a Homelessness Intervention in Cape Town, South Africa

Internationally, LGBTQIA+ people are at increased risk of homelessness and housing instability. Literature on this topic emerging from the Global South has been less prominent. This article explores LGBTQIA+ homelessness in Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town is a unique local context, given the post-apartheid political landscape and prevalent negative attitudes towards LGBTQIA+ people in South Africa. Grounded in the ecological systems theory, this article explores staff perspectives about emergency shelter interventions with the population of LGBTQIA+ people experiencing homelessness. An international team of scholars coordinated this research effort to interview staff at an LGBTQIA+ focused shelter in Cape Town. Interview data were analysed using narrative analysis strategies. Results show that the shelter seeks to provide a safe and structured environment for LGBTQIA+ people who may have experienced family rejection, educational or economic challenges and mental health concerns. Researchers recommend that there be a shift in focus to macro socio-economic forces when considering LGBTQIA+ homelessness. Researchers also discuss the need for more robust social work training for staff of shelters who serve this vulnerable and resilient population.

Effects of Core and Surface Materials on the Flexural Behavior of Lightweight Composites Sandwich Beams

Sandwich composite elements are used in many sectors thanks to their low weight/strength ratios, high bending strength, good thermal insulation properties, and low costs. It is widely used in the machinery and construction industry, especially in land, sea, and air vehicles. The main objective of this research is to design and produce lightweight, durable, insulated, and low-cost, sustainable building elements that will meet emergency shelter needs after disasters. For housing purposes, 24 sandwich beams were prepared, eight designs with different surface coatings and core materials, and three in each design group. The effects of surface coating and core material on behavior were investigated with four-point bending experiments. Load-displacement relationships were determined from the experiments, and the beams' load-carrying capacities and failure patterns under the effects of bending and shearing were determined. In addition, theoretical methods determined maximum load values and compared them with the results of the experiments. As a result of the experiments, it was concluded that the best-performing design under bending effects was sandwich beams with plywood surface and XPS core.

Innovative Modular Emergency Shelters: A Sustainable Response to Crisis Situations in Cameroon

Innovative Modular Emergency Shelters: A Sustainable Response to Crisis Situations in Cameroon

Study concerning the design and functionality of individual emergency shelters

The divide between the rich and poor in the European housing market is fast rising. Latest research indicates that Europe is dealing with an increasing number of homeless people. Every city in Europe has them—homeless people compelled to live on street corners, frequently hiding themselves with cardboard. Rain, snow, and temperatures below zero pose a threat to their lives on a daily basis. There are many varied kinds of services that have been discovered, but it is difficult to keep track of everyone and guarantee that they have a warm night's sleep in the winter. The current article suggests accommodation as a workaround until they can receive high-intensity support, a way to keep a single person warm and safe during the winter. The focus is on devising a strategy that not only ensures the warmth and safety of individuals during the harsh winter months but also seeks to industrialize the construction of shelters, ensuring affordability below the cost of winter hospitalization for a homeless person. Crucially, the article introduces an additional layer to this initiative by highlighting the dual purpose of these individual shelters. Beyond being a means to provide respite for the homeless during severe weather, these shelters are envisioned as immediate response units in the event of emergencies such as earthquakes in urban areas. The article explores the potential impact of this multi-layered approach on transforming urban landscapes and fostering resilient communities.

Genetic Algorithm-based Optimization Model for Emergency Shelters Location Allocation in Public Health Emergency Situations

Deploying emergency resources after a disaster is crucial for reducing the event’s impact. A multi-objective (MO) resource allocation (RA) method is developed to achieve efficient distribution of relief items and the best choice of transportation routes, taking into account the variable and persistent nature of rescue operations. The MO Cellular Genetical Approach (MOC-GA) addresses the concept by incorporating auxiliary populations and neighborhood architecture into the cellular automaton. The comparative experiment conclusively demonstrates that MOC-GA performs favorably compared to Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO), Ant Colony Optimisation (ACO), and Dragon Fly Optimisation (DFO) in several metrics such as the Pareto Front (PF), hypervolume, mean objective function value, and PF ratios. The findings demonstrate that MOC-GA effectively addresses the MO dynamical emergency RA approach, offering decision-makers a more comprehensive range of superior and diversified candidate rescue strategies than alternative methods. This research analyzes the existing rescue methods and proposes a theoretical rescue strategy to aid decision-makers in making scientifically informed decisions.

Safety Is Just the First Step: Implementing a Holistic, Survivor-Centered Program Model for Rural Partner Abuse Survivors

When domestic violence first became recognized as a social problem, services (e.g., hotlines, medical accompaniment, and emergency shelters) focused largely on meeting victims’ needs during crisis. Research documenting the process survivors go through to end abusive relationships and to establish a new, safe life shows that the challenges they face go well beyond the initial crisis. In contrast to standard practices, the Chesapeake Crisis to Self-Sufficiency Model (CCSSM) provides a continuum of holistic, survivor-centered services to support the transition from crisis to self-sufficiency. Staff interviews reveal that the CCSSM grew out of recognizing clients’ needs postcrisis. Establishing service continuums in critical areas such as housing, legal assistance, and economic empowerment creates customizable pathways for clients to follow. Administrative data for 464 survivors receiving services under the traditional model and 607 served under the CCSSM show that the CCSSM cohort worked with the agency for significantly more months and received a broader array of services. These data suggest that the comprehensive service model provides survivors with much needed services beyond the initial crisis and may ultimately increase their chances of leaving an abusive relationship. Future research should explore if the CCSSM leads to increased survivor safety and movement toward self-sufficiency and if the model decreases the odds that survivors will return to an abusive partner.

Factors associated with homeless experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the Nipissing District, Ontario, Canada.

Canadian homelessness is an ongoing issue, especially in the Nipissing District, Ontario, where agencies work to support those in need. However, these efforts were challenged with the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the Cycle of Homelessness model, this study examines sociodemographic factors associated with homeless experiences during the pandemic. Using data from the 2021 (n = 207) Nipissing District homeless enumeration survey and employing bivariate and multivariate binary logistic analyses, this study examined sociodemographic factors associated with reasons of homelessness, barriers to housing loss and experiences of chronic and episodic homelessness during the pandemic. The results showed a significant sociodemographic variation in the experiences of the homeless population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those over the age of 35 versus their younger counterparts were more likely (43.7%) found in emergency shelters. Multivariate findings indicated that females experienced housing/financial loss and interpersonal/family issues, directly causing homelessness, 2.2 and 2.5 times more than males, respectively. Welfare recipients were more likely to experience health-related reasons for housing loss (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.8), chronic homelessness (OR: 3.3), addiction (OR: 2.9), and mental health-related barriers to housing (OR: 4.1). Those aged 25-34, 25-44, and 45+ were 7.9, 4.9, and 5.1 times more likely to face chronic homelessness. Conclusions: Welfare recipients are more at-risk of health-related housing loss, addiction, and mental health barriers to housing, and chronic homelessness. This could be attributed to poor public planning and policies that put people in marginal economic and housing circumstances, especially during the pandemic. Therefore, policy reform is required to address the main barriers in eliminating homelessness.

A multicriteria decision model to improve emergency preparedness: Locating-allocating urban shelters against floods

The increasing prominence of natural disasters in recent years has made emergency disaster management one of the main challenges for building resilient societies. This way, the warming combination with human-induced urban interventions with climate change reshapes the strategic decision-making that public managers must deal with to promote safety and preparedness. Consequently, it implies complex situations under uncertainty that comprise conflicting dilemmas about which decision-makers (DMs) should establish trade-offs. Given this backdrop, this work proposes a risk-based multidimensional model for assessing urban shelter location against flood risk with Decision Analysis and Multi-Attribute Utility Theory. By using principles of the Queue Theory, the decision model undertakes four criteria that measure in a probabilistic manner the alternatives’ performance when considering urban flood disaster evacuation routes in affected areas. Altogether, it enables the DM to establish his/her preferences with views to rank potential locations for mounting temporary shelters and for planning emergency preparedness in risky areas. Being replicable to any urban context, our proposal has the potential to support and promote the development and implementation of crisis protocols consisting of measures to reduce flood impacts and adapt critical areas to climate change. From a numerical application of the proposed model, the DM is encouraged to explore graphical and tabular visualization tools, as well as sensitivity analysis, to establish in strategic terms how to design and implement emergency shelters to reduce flood risks in urban areas effectively.

Compound risk of wildfire and inaccessible shelters is disproportionately impacting disadvantaged communities

This study proposes measuring access to shelters and wildfire risks in tandem rather than in isolation to prevent wildfires from turning into human disasters. By leveraging a human-centered design approach in California, which has an active wildfire history and experience with some of the deadliest wildfires, three key findings are discerned. First, California experiences undesirable resource allocation where regions with a high risk of wildfire are surrounded by regions with a low level of access to emergency shelters, and regions with a low risk of wildfire are surrounded by regions with a high level of access to emergency shelters. Second, neither access to shelters nor wildfire risk is evenly distributed across space. This uneven distribution, however, discriminates against exurban areas. As one moves away from core cities, higher wildfire risk and comparatively limited access to emergency shelters are noticed, underscoring the heightened susceptibility of exurban areas to wildfires. Third, in contrast with existing research solely focusing on wildfire risk, it is revealed that the elderly, people with disabilities, and Hispanics are at a higher risk of experiencing high wildfire risk and low access to shelters. The findings suggest instilling equity into wildfire preparedness strategies while minimizing the gap in access to resources between disadvantaged and advantaged communities, given the trichotomy of exposure to the hazard (risk of wildfire), proximity to aid (access to shelters), and vulnerability to threat (community characteristics).

Spatial matching of emergency shelters to the distribution of residents in the light of transport behaviours of evacuees during war: the case of Suwałki

The aim of the article was the assessment of the spatial matching of existing shelters (supply) to the distribution of residents in Suwałki (demand), considering their declared transport behaviours while evacuating during war. The analysis was conducted based on the locations of existing emergency shelters using data on population distribution (registration data with building accuracy). Spatial alignment was determined using the P-Median problem and E2SFCA. In terms of establishing vehicular or pedestrian travel time, the Manhattan metric based on the urban road network model was utilised. A model of vehicle movement speed was then constructed, while a constant speed was assumed for pedestrian movement. Additionally, survey data on the transport behaviour of inhabitants of Suwałki in the case of war were conducted in 2023. The study concluded that the population residing within the city limits should evacuate on foot, and that prior training on the evacuation process is especially necessary for those who reside in less populated areas of the city. The analyses also showed that existing emergency shelters are overly dispersed, making management difficult for emergency services. Since the current capacity of emergency shelters is not sufficient for the number and distribution of inhabitants of Suwałki, the most practical significance of this article in this respect is to indicate to the authorities the optimal number and location for emergency shelters (to improve the evacuation process).

Investigation on construction characteristics and indoor environmental quality of Fangcang shelter hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai, China

Since the rapid spread of COVID-19 in late 2019, Fangcang shelter hospitals have become crucial components of urban healthcare facilities. However, there remains a lack of systematic research on the performance assessment of Fangcang shelter hospitals. This study evaluated the construction efficiency, facility allocation, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of 115 Fangcang shelter hospitals in Shanghai. Based on the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model, 51,040 social media reviews were processed to evaluate the prevalence of IEQ complaints. The results show that Fangcang shelter hospitals renovated from exhibition halls have the fastest median construction speed (58.2 bed/h), closely followed by office buildings (41.7 bed/h), while containers were the slowest (9.1 bed/h). Notably, there is a power function relationship between the bed capacity and construction speed (R2 = 0.81), indicating a scale effect. As for the indoor environment, toilet comfort issues comprise 31.2 % of the total complaints, followed by complaints about acoustics (22.8 %), hygiene (12.0 %), and thermal (11.2 %). Container-built Fangcang shelter hospitals face significant challenges to the acoustic (40 %) and thermal (15 %) environment, while renovated facilities encounter more problems with toilet facilities and privacy. We also found that the proportion of indoor air quality (IAQ) issues increases as the average bed area decreases across facilities renovated from factories, exhibition halls, and office buildings. These findings offer valuable insights into Fangcang shelter hospitals, which can be considered in future planning and spatial optimization of emergency shelters.

Understanding the landscape of domestic violence transitional housing: services and housing for rural and non-rural clientele

Housing support is one of the most powerful and in-demand remedies to address domestic violence (DV), with almost 40,000 survivors served daily in U.S. based DV housing programmes. DV transitional housing (DVTH) provides a critical safety net of longer-term housing for survivors beyond emergency shelters. Despite its wide use, little research has documented who is using DVTH, their needs, and how programme environment and location impact service provision. Using five years of data from U.S. government funded DVTH programmes, this study examines client and programme characteristics with attention to rurality. Findings indicate demographic, service engagement, and length of stay differences among DVTH clients within rural and non-rural locations. Programme environments and service provision significantly varied between rural and non-rural programmes. Results highlight substantial heterogeneity in programme structure, client demographics, and services engagement across non-rural and rural programmes. The wide range of DVTH types and service use indicate the need for dynamic and flexible support and funding to address survivor-defined needs.

Modeling and design of solar+storage-powered community resilience hubs across California.

Distributed clean, reliable energy resources like solar plus battery storage (solar+storage) can reduce harmful emissions while supporting resilience. Solar+storage-powered resilience hubs provide energy for critical services during disasters while increasing human adaptive capacity year round. We studied where utility rates, local climate, and historical injustice make solar+storage resilience hubs more valuable and more challenging. We modeled the economic and climate impacts of outfitting candidate hub sites across California with solar+storage for everyday operations and identified designs and costs required to withstand a range of outages considering weather impacts on energy needs and availability. We integrated sociodemographic data to prioritize the siting of resilience hubs, to focus potential policy and funding priorities on regions where solar+storage for resilience hubs is hard or expensive, and where populations are most in need. We identified almost 20,000 candidate buildings with more than 8 GW of total rooftop solar potential capable of reducing CO2 emissions by 5 million tons per year while providing energy for community resilience. Hub capacity for one of the most challenging missions-providing emergency shelter during a power outage and smoke event-could have a statewide average lifetime cost of less than $2000 per seat. We identified regional challenges including insufficient rooftop solar capacity in cities, low sunlight in northern coastal California, and high costs driven by utility rate structures in Sacramento and the Imperial Valley. Results show that rates and net metering rules that incentivize solar+storage during everyday operations decrease resilience costs.

Site selection and prediction of urban emergency shelter based on VGAE-RF model

As urban development accelerates and natural disasters occur more frequently, the urgency of developing effective emergency shelter planning strategies intensifies. The shelter location selection method under the traditional multi-criteria decision-making framework suffers from issues such as strong subjectivity and insufficient data support. Artificial intelligence offers a robust data-driven approach for site selection; however, many methods neglect the spatial relationships of site selection targets within geographical space. This paper introduces an emergency shelter site selection model that combines a variational graph autoencoder (VGAE) with a random forest (RF), namely VGAE-RF. In the constructed urban spatial topological graph, based on network geographic information, this model captures both the latent features of geographic unit coupling and integrates explicit and latent features to forecast the likelihood of emergency shelters in the construction area. This study takes Beijing, China, as the experimental area and evaluates the reliability of different model methods using a confusion matrix, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, and Imbalance Index of spatial distribution as evaluation indicators. The experimental results indicate that the proposed VGAE-RF model method, which considers spatial semantic associations, displays the best reliability.

Energy efficiency in modular emergency shelters: Impact of envelope finishings and shadowing

In emergencies, ensuring rapid access to temporary housing for displaced individuals is a cornerstone of effective disaster response. Managing the issue time-effectively is crucial for addressing the immediate physical needs of the population and fostering a sense of stability. Unfortunately, given the vast scale of emergency camps, the number of shelters to be installed is often very high, requiring rapid transport and assembly for the success of settlement procedures. Furthermore, emergencies frequently occur in environments with extreme outdoor climates, heightening the challenge of maintaining indoor comfort within shelters. The present study considers a modular shelter based on composite sandwich panels made of glass-fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) filled with a polyurethane (PUR) foam thermal insulation core. Experimental tests and numerical analyses are used to quantify the thermal conductivity of the panels and the heat losses through the panels' connections, respectively. Dynamic energy simulations are implemented accounting for the aforementioned data and used to quantify the energy required to ensure users' thermal comfort via active heating and cooling systems. Further, the model is applied to evaluate the influence of envelope finishes and shading devices in reducing the shelter's energy demands in three extreme climates. Results indicate that the combination of shading and reflective finishes can lead to significant energy demand reductions, decreasing the need for thermal insulation and, therefore, reducing the overall weight of the shelter. Finally, it is observed that in climates where cooling demands are dominant, passive strategies can achieve energy savings that thermal insulation alone cannot attain.

Community experiences with police and implications for public health: A focus group study.

Interactions with the police can impact an individual's short and long-term physical, mental, and social wellbeing, as well as levels of violence and unrest within a community. As such, this study aimed to explore experiences with the police among individuals experiencing socioeconomic disadvantages in Edmonton, Canada. For this qualitative study, participants (n = 39) were recruited from an emergency shelter for women, a drop-in community organization supporting individuals experiencing socioeconomic disadvantages, and a centre providing settlement support for newcomers to Canada. During the recruitment process, the research information sheet, including the scope and goals of the study, was presented, and participants who had any experience with the police were recruited. Each participant joined one of seven focus groups, during which experiences with the police were discussed; data from the focus groups were analyzed utilizing thematic analysis. Factors that contributed to satisfactory experiences with the police included the police demonstrating responsiveness and compassion, as well as an individual's understanding of police work. Factors that contributed to unsatisfactory experiences included the experiences of discrimination, stigmatization, and disrespect during interactions with the police. Participants suggested that community-police relationships could be improved by police being less judgemental and suspicious in their approach, undergoing regular training in sociocultural sensitivity, and being more open in their communication and community outreach. Overall, adopting a less discriminatory and more empathetic approach within a police force is essential for creating and maintaining a positive community-police relationship. By considering the socioeconomic context of people's behaviours and actions, police can better support the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Multi-criteria comparison analysis of spatial equity for emergency shelters in old and new urban districts: A case study in Wuhua District and Chenggong District of Kunming City, China

With the progression of urbanization and the concentration of populations in urban areas, cities are increasingly exposed to disaster risks. Emergency shelters play a critical role in disaster prevention and mitigation, as they are vital for providing temporary refuge and protection during and after catastrophic events. Assessing the spatial equity of these shelters is conducive to enhancing emergency relief capabilities and aiding in disaster risk reduction. However, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the comparative and quantitative disparities between new and old urban areas, particularly in developing countries like China, where urbanization is rapid and populations are dense. To address this issue, this study employed a combination of multi-source data and GIScience technology to analyze the spatial equity of emergency shelters in Wuhua District and Chenggong District of Kunming City, China. We evaluated the overall spatial equity of emergency shelters in both the old urban area (Wuhua District) and the new urban area (Chenggong District) using a comprehensive evaluation model with three criteria: evacuation population capacity, spatial accessibility, and the level of per capita effective shelter area. The results revealed that the old urban area suffers from insufficient effective emergency shelter capacity due to saturated construction land. More than 67 % of the shelters are short-term emergency shelters located close to buildings, which compromises spatial accessibility during earthquake disasters. The level of per capita effective shelter area, as indicated by SSTD, is 24.42 in Wuhua District, suggesting that the effective shelter area in each subdistrict is consistently low, regardless of its urban or suburban classification. In contrast, the new urban district boasts substantial effective emergency shelter capacities, both in the long-term and short-term types, surpassing the reference capacities. The rational spatial layout of various types of emergency shelters ensures that most regions with concentrated buildings are enveloped in accessibility time layers within a 25-min range. The SSTD index of Chenggong District is 349.23, underscoring the significant disparity in the level of per capita effective shelter area at the subdistrict scale, particularly in the district's urban villages and suburban regions. The findings of this study serve as a scientific reference for emergency management and urban planners to reasonably plan or upgrade shelter facilities, thereby improving urban resilience and promoting spatial equity in resource allocation among subdistricts, communities, and residents.

Mud brick houses as a suitable alternative to emergency shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs): evidence from Northern Syria

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of mud brick houses as an alternative to the more widely adopted emergency shelters used in war-torn Syria. It focuses on the mud houses’ sustainability, cost effectiveness, cultural preference, income generation and security. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a qualitative research approach to a single case study. Interviews were conducted with field experts from the Qatar Red Crescent Society and members of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) community living in mud brick houses. Findings The findings reveal that the utilisation of mud houses is a good alternative in relief efforts. The houses are sustainable and cost-effective, take into consideration cultural dynamics and provide economic empowerment to IDPs. However, the maintenance of mud brick houses turns out to be the largest flaw, and this problem requires further research. Originality/value The paper highlights the inefficiency of current emergency sheltering practices in Syria and reveals that tents are not a preferred mode of shelter. It further sheds light on a unique case study in which mud houses were used by an aid and development organisation, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. This paper contributes to practical discussion and ideation on more appropriate housing for IDPs.