One of the biggest problem areas identified by the IASC Global Shelter Cluster is getting reliable assessments of housing and settlements needs after a crisis. This publication seeks to help fill the gaps here. LENSS stands for Local Estimate of Needs for Shelter and Settlement and is a tool kit designed to alleviate the difficulties of shelter and settlement needs assessment in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and before the recovery phase. An assessment or estimate of the situation is a precondition for disaster response and recovery planning. LENSS tools suggest what shelter and settlement data to ask for, who to ask, when to ask and how to share the answers. The publication explains the importance of ensuring that those who survive a natural disaster are involved and consulted from the very beginning in their recovery process “ rather than being treated as œhumanitarian liabilities?. This inclusive approach has significant implications for the recommended approaches to post-disaster housing and settlements recovery.