The government of India (in partnership with the World Bank) had it sorted out after the 2001 Bhuj, Gujarat earthquake.  Provide a clear and simple guideline, provide cash grants in installments contingent upon following those guidelines, and provide third party technical assistance to coach homeowners and builders through the process. Why has it taken the rest of the donor and aid community so long to catch up?  After the Indian Ocean tsunami, the NGO community insisted on donor-driven housing, lured by the perceived need to get houses built quickly and the efficiency of scale.  Shortcomings of past donor-driven housing reconstruction programs are chronicled here.