Ukraine begins work on national housing policy strategy

On 10 June, the inaugural meeting of the working group tasked with developing the National Housing Policy Strategy took place.

The event was attended by representatives from the Government, the Office of the President, the Verkhovna Rada, local self-government bodies, international organisations, the expert community, and civil society.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba stressed that the National Housing Policy Strategy should serve as a comprehensive document, establishing a new model for housing policy in Ukraine – one that is open, transparent, financially viable, and adapted to the challenges of wartime.

“We are embarking on a process that must address one of society’s fundamental needs: having a home. A safe, affordable, and tangible home.

We are fully aware of the conditions under which we are shaping this policy. To date, over 2 million households – 13% of the country’s housing stock – have been damaged or destroyed. There are more than 4.6 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of families have completely lost their homes.

This is why the housing policy must shift its focus. We need to create a system. An open, fair, and balanced framework where everyone – youth, military personnel, families with children, veterans, and internally displaced persons – understands the available opportunities, how to access them, and what the state guarantees,” Oleksii Kuleba stated.

According to him, the future Strategy aims to ensure:

• Genuine housing affordability through the development of the rental market, the launch of effective financial and credit instruments, and improvements to mortgage programmes.
• Fair state involvement in addressing housing needs for veterans, military personnel, internally displaced persons, large families, and youth.
• Enhanced institutional capacity for local authorities, equipping communities with effective tools to implement housing policies locally.
• Engagement of international partners, businesses, and the expert community to create a balanced and sustainable model.

During the meeting, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development Nataliia Kozlovska presented the conceptual vision for the future Strategy. In her presentation, she outlined key challenges, principles, and objectives of the new housing policy, proposing a two-tier coordination model involving central government bodies, local self-government, civil society, and the expert community.

At the government level, an Interagency Working Group has already been established. It will be responsible for drafting the Strategy, consolidating proposals, and developing solutions. The work will be coordinated by a Steering Committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister. Additionally, a Technical Working Group will handle analysis, consultations, and the development of substantive components.

Oleksii Kuleba thanked international partners for their support, expertise, and understanding of the Ukrainian context. He also called on all stakeholders to participate in both conceptual discussions and practical work.

The inaugural meeting was also attended by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová, World Bank Director for Eastern Europe Bob Saum, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Viktor Mykyta, First Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Kateryna Rozhkova, Team Leader for Reconstruction of Ukraine at the European Commission Gabriel Blanc, World Bank Lead Urban Specialist Ellen Hamilton, representatives of civil society, and other experts.

Notably, the development of the National Housing Policy Strategy is a requirement of the Ukraine Facility Plan, outlined under Reform 7 (“Ensuring access to housing for those in need”).

The Strategy includes measures to support the creation of affordable social housing, increase the availability of housing for internally displaced persons and others unable to rent or purchase housing, including people with disabilities.