Abstract
Purpose: This essay aims to investigate the relationship between social capital and condominium apartments rebuilding of Chi-chi Earthquake (1999) in Taiwan. Several studies have revealed that The Temporary Statute for 921 Earthquake Reconstruction (921 Foundation) had provided significant support to condominium apartments rebuilding. However, data about the efficacy of the institutional innovation and social capital are limited. Methods: This paper studied 138 condominium apartments rebuilding as a longitudinal data in 13 years. Our study uses the analysis frame recognized by existing researches that social capital can be classified into three types: bonding, bridging and linking. It also argues the social capital would affect the housing reconstruction. Results: Statistical results show a positive correlation between social capital and the probability of reconstruction completed. Accumulations of organization events and politicians' visits as the measurements of social capital from the newspaper database have a positive effect on condominium apartments rebuilding. Conclusions: In sum, this finding broadly supports the disaster studies related to social capital with resilience. The 921 Foundation is also proven as a major actor in increasing the probability of condominium apartments rebuilding completed. This research has shown that social capital matters for post-disaster recovery.