Abstract

European historical city centers are particularly prone to natural disasters. This is due to the fragility of structures that often times do not comply with seismic codes; the high constructions’ density that causes induced damage; and the historical relevance of buildings that makes difficult the enacting of mitigation strategies. In Italy, major earthquake caused extensive damages over the last century. Seismic events have a huge impact on the nation’s economy growth due to direct and indirect impacts, such as for example the high reconstruction costs or the business interruption spread out over a long period, respectively. In addition, the duration of recovery can affect the population wellbeing and cause permanent displacement. For this reason, the preventive planning of disaster management strategies are crucial to mitigate the damage and enhance resilience. Proposed strategies have to be effective and economically sustainable. In this paper, two towns affected by the 2012 Northern Italy Earthquake are chosen to analyze the reconstruction process. Using information published on the town journal, relevant aspects of the community resilience are highlighted. In particular, the housing recovery, i.e. the return of displaced people to a permanent housing solution is investigated. Then, a suite of seismic mitigation strategies is proposed for both cities, taking into account the peculiarity of the built environment and the damage distribution available thanks to the post- event buildings’ inspection. The effectiveness of the proposed strategies is assessed through a cost-benefit analysis, highlighting optimal solutions to reduce the economic and social losses.