Condition of restoration second year in Uozaki and Konan district
About 60% of the houses in the Konan and Uozaki Districts were partially or completely destroyed. Six months after the earthquake, reconstruction started in only about 10% of these, but one year after the earthquake this percentage reached about 50%, showing the rapid pace of reconstruction. However, it reached only 64% two years after the earthquake and there is the possibility that about 30% may be left as lots with no building on them. Joint housing projects have had rough going because of the adjustment of rights in the case of rented houses, and because of economic conditions. Only 3 projects out of 11 that we have supported could be implemented. Huge amounts of energy are necessary to reach an agreement between people who have some rights for land or houses (landlord, rented land/owner-occupied housing, rented house etc,.). Finally Machizukuri Organizations have come to have some intercommunication with supporters' groups for local elderly people and trade associations, and not only is housing reconstruction progressing, but also the system by which they plan strong community-based Machizukuri, is being developed. As a result, I guess that people finally understand the necessity of Machizukuri Organizations as a subject of Machizukuri. (Nozaki)
This is the third year after the earthquake and the rate of reconstruction has been increasing. However, especially in White Zones, in the east part of urban area of Kobe City, there remain small scattered lots with no buildings on them. Therefore even if there are victims who can't reconstruct their houses because of problems such as the small size of their sites or the failure of their sites to face roads:
1) they have difficulties in getting cooperation from the people whose sites face a road and whose houses were already reconstructed
2) they have difficulties in using systems such as the subsidy for building improvement projects because of the small size of their joint project
3) it will be impossible for residents to demand the government's support if the number who have problems in the district is relatively small.
The strategies for Hyogo Prefecture about Machizukuri for restoration are to:
1) find problems from the government points' of view and send advisers
2) hold consultations on the spot
3) establish support projects such as "Small Scale Joint Housing Project" by the "Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake Disaster Restoration Fund", promote support for small scale joint housing reconstruction, support activities of Machizukuri Organization and consider how lots with no buildings on them should be used.