applied sciences Article The Impact of Earthquakes on Apartment Owners and Renters in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) Aotearoa New Zealand Denise Blake 1,*, Julia S. Becker 2, Darrin Hodgetts 3 and Kenneth J. Elwood 4 1 School of Health, Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka, Wellington 6012, New Zealand 2 School of Psychology, Joint Centre for Disaster Research, Massey University, Wellington 6140, New Zealand;
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[email protected] Abstract: Apartment dwelling is on the increase in many cities in Aotearoa New Zealand, including those in earthquake-prone regions. Hence it is important that people working in disaster management and housing improve their understanding on how the living situations of apartment dwellers influence their disaster management practices. This knowledge is crucial for efforts to promote safety and preparedness. This paper explores what enables and constrains apartment dwellers in their ability to prepare for an earthquake. Eighteen people were interviewed who resided in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) two years after the 2016 7.8 magnitude (Mw) Kaikoura¯ earthquake. Of central concern was people’s ability to prepare for disasters and access knowledge about building and structural safety and how this knowledge mattered to what apartment dwellers were able to Citation: Blake, D.; Becker, J.S.; prepare for. We found that the agency to prepare was dependent on whether people owned or rented Hodgetts, D.; Elwood, K.J.