UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

Published purpose

The Housing Action Project (Champ de Mars) aims to respond to the need to resettle persons displaced by the 2010 earthquake via sustainable housing solutions. Facing the destroyed Haitian Parliament building, the Champ de Mars is an important public park, and one of the four largest camps for internally displaced persons (IDP), providing temporary shelter to approximately 5,000 families (approx. 20,000 individuals). This initiative aims to provide registered camp residents with assistance in finding suitable rental accommodation or in having their house repaired through the provision of one-year subsidies. Two neighbourhoods damaged by the earthquake expect to receive assistance in repairing and building small infrastructures providing access to potable water and sanitation services. As Canada's lead implementing partner for this initiative, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) coordinates the following activities with three other UN Agencies: camp residents' registration, evaluation of housing needs, delivery of rental subsidies to families, and final closure of the Champ de Mars camp; debris removal in targeted neighbourhoods, demolition of non-reparable houses and reparation of damaged but reparable houses; training and certification of construction tradespersons, delivery of business support and training for camp entrepreneurs, and provision of relocation subsidies to camp businesses; and the provision of financial support to receiving communities to rebuild essential community infrastructure and services.