Effective Resilience Strategy for the Urban Poor During Coronavirus Crisis

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has evolved from a health crisis into a humanitarian and economic one. The most vulnerable community is the urban poor with high sensitivity in income, unemployment, and costs of living. This study examined the role of public agencies, inclusive networks, and local leaders in restoring the resilience of individuals and families in an urban poor community in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. The target respondents of this study are the heads of households (HOHs) living in low-cost apartments. The total sample size was 325 HOHs equally stratified in five blocks of low-cost apartments. The structured adapted survey questionnaires, which measure the resilience of individuals and households and the engagement of public agencies, local leaders, and inclusive networks, were validated and tested for reliability. Smart partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the effect of the engagements of public agencies, local leader efforts, and inclusive networks on the resilience of urban poor community. This study found that inclusive networks and local leaderships have remarkable effects on restoring individual and household resilience. However, empirical evidence shows that confidence on the delivery of public agencies is not strong enough in supporting the resilience of individuals and households from the urban poor community. Designing intervention and recovery strategies specially tailored to the needs of individuals and households is an effective mechanism to protect and secure the resilience of the urban poor community.