Habitability Status
https://schema.aidops.org/vocab/habitability-status
A programming-facing judgement of whether a dwelling can currently be occupied, and what category of shelter response it requires. Distinct from damage level: a moderately damaged dwelling may be habitable, and a lightly damaged one may still be unoccupied (e.g., household has displaced). The four-tier substantive scale (habitable, needs minor repairs, needs major repairs, must be demolished) distinguishes between repair-grant and reconstruction-grant tiers, which is a programming decision point in Sphere 2018 shelter recovery; a separate 'unknown / not assessed' code is provided to record absence of assessment.
Standard reference
Sphere Handbook (2018) Shelter and Settlement chapter (https://spherestandards.org/)
The repair-grant vs reconstruction-grant distinction is drawn from Global Shelter Cluster recovery programming guidance aligned with Sphere standards.
Values
| Code | Label | Standard code | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
habitable | Habitable | Dwelling is currently occupied or occupiable without intervention. No shelter programming action required from a habitability standpoint. | |
needs_minor_repairs | Habitable with minor repairs | Dwelling is livable now; minor household-level repairs (patching, finishes, replacing fixtures) would restore normal function. Typical response: NFI kit or small cash grant. | |
needs_major_repairs_uninhabitable | Uninhabitable; major repairs required (repair-grant tier) | Dwelling cannot currently be occupied but can be repaired to a safe habitable standard without full reconstruction. Typical response: shelter repair grant, technical assistance, labour support. | |
must_be_demolished | Beyond repair; must be demolished (reconstruction-grant tier) | Dwelling is beyond safe repair and must be demolished; recovery requires full reconstruction. Typical response: transitional shelter, reconstruction grant, relocation support. | |
unknown | Unknown / not assessed | Habitability has not been assessed. Recorded to distinguish from a positive 'habitable' finding. |