With the increase in the magnitude and frequency of disasters, coupled with diminishing funding available for post disaster reconstruction, it is rare that all families affected by disasters will benefit from housing reconstruction assistance. Thus, humanitarian agencies channel support to the most vulnerable, with the thought that less vulnerable families will be able to recover with their own resources. While some of those who “self-recover” are motivated and able to “build back safer,” many build back in ways that render them more vulnerable to future disasters. The projects described in this case study sought to address some of the barriers that often hinder selfrecovering families from building back safer. Efforts focused on developing hazard-resistant techniques that are more accessible and accepted, thereby helping communities strive towards greater resilience.These project’s main goal was to enable the entire hazard-prone communities of Puri, Odisha and Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu to make sound decisions to invest in their own resilience towards future shocks. Using an asset-based approach, the project sought to help community members reassess their construction practices for reducing vulnerabilities. It made for a first step in behavior change, and helped communities develop affordable, hazard-resistant houses with improved local technologies and materials.