Advancing Housing Reform in Ukraine: Contributions of the UN4UkrainianCities Project
© Kharkiv City Council
As part of the comprehensive reform of Ukraine's housing policy, UNECE is providing systematic support to the Government of Ukraine. In particular, experts from the UN4UkrainianCities Project coordinate the work of the Working Group under the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, which is developing new housing legislation. They also support the Ministry at all stages of designing the components of the housing policy reform.
Overall, the housing reform in Ukraine includes the development of three fundamental documents: the draft laws “On the Fundamental Principles of State Housing Policy” and “On Social Rental Housing”, and for the first time, the adoption of a State Housing Policy Strategy, which will define key priorities, mechanisms, funding sources, and measures for the planning period, tailored to specific needs and regional characteristics.
On 16 July, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted in the first reading the first law of the comprehensive housing reform: the Law “On the Fundamental Principles of State Housing Policy”.
The housing reform being implemented in Ukraine, based on the framework set out in the draft Law “On the Fundamental Principles of State Housing Policy”, envisions:
a complete renovation of housing legislation, the introduction of best European practices in housing policy, the fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goals, and implementation of the key provisions of the UN Geneva Charter on Sustainable Housing;
the transition of housing-related legal relations into a modern digital format: all records of citizens in need of state housing support will be digitised in an open and transparent manner via a Unified Information and Analytical Housing System, which will serve as the single, reliable source of transparent housing data for citizens;
for specific categories of the population, internally displaced persons and individuals requiring social protection, the possibility of renting housing under soft conditions with rent compensation (social housing); economically active citizens will be able to access state mortgages or leasing schemes to purchase a home; public sector employees will be provided with official housing near their workplace under preferential rental conditions;
the creation of incentives for investors: public-private partnerships, concessional loans, tax incentives, and the introduction of affordable housing operators;
the renovation of the outdated housing stock in line with European quality and energy efficiency standards.
The adoption of the Law “On the Fundamental Principles of State Housing Policy” will transform the current fragmented and outdated housing system into one that is transparent, efficient, and forward-looking.
“Today, housing policy is at the forefront, not as a standalone sector or document, but as an issue affecting millions of people across all regions of Ukraine. It is not only about construction or financial mechanisms. It is a response to the complex reality we have been living in for four years now under full-scale war. That is why housing policy must shift its focus. We must create an open, honest, and balanced environment where everyone—young people, military personnel, families with children, veterans, and internally displaced families—understands what opportunities are available, how to access them, and what the state guarantees,”
UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean, during meetings with representatives of the Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, including on 17 June during the event “Towards the Development of the State Housing Policy Strategy” and at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome on 10-11 July, expressed support for the ongoing housing reform in Ukraine and reaffirmed UNECE’s and its partners’ continued commitment to supporting its implementation.