This paper discusses problems associated with the recovery period following an earthquake disaster and suggests some ways in which these problems can be reduced by planning before the event. The emphasis is on maximizing the use and effectiveness of local resources in the aftermath of a major earthquake and the focus is on wood frame housing. This paper goes into some detail on typically observed damage patterns for U. S. wood frame housing and suggests that much of the damage to be expected will render housing temporarily, rather than permanently, uninhabitable. The paper contends that a reasonably accurate knowledge of the types of residential damage to be expected in an earthquake can be obtained from existing data and can be of great importance for pre-disaster planning and post disaster recovery.