Despite being well-intentioned, top-down-donor-beneficiary approaches that result in dependency often fail to generate long-term sustainable results. Where speed and agility are essential in saving lives during emergencies, shelter actors can fall into the trap of focusing on the number of units built and beneficiaries served, technical compliance with local and international regulations, as well as on donor timelines. Without undermining the knowledge and technical expertise that shelter practitioners bring with them or the local governments that have political jurisdiction over their constituents, it is worth noting that communities are, in their own right, experts that hold the key to unlocking local capacity towards resilience. By reflecting on the MOVEUP alternative temporary shelter (ATS) co-production approach, the study described how vulnerable communities can move from being objects of design to active participants engaged in their emergency shelter response. Through a multi-stakeholder collaborative environment, where national and local governments provide enabling policies as primary duty bearers, technical professionals as secondary duty bearers provide technical expertise, and civil society groups support and strengthen accountability mechanisms, these communities are given resources and opportunities to reshape their emergency shelter service experience. Through an iterative process, the resulting ATS strategy is rooted in the needs of the local communities and maximizes the use of available resources at their disposal. By foregoing the common technocratic, top-down approach, the study found that: improving participation and empowering communities to generate better results, technical standards on the implementation of temporary shelters can be negotiated to adapt to local conditions and environmental settings; and future replication of the ATS and its adaptation to other contexts is better assured through a sustained and consistent partnership between the right holders and duty bearers. When mobilized collectively, and directed efficiently, the latent capacity available in these communities can be honed towards self-sufficiency.