In December 2023, Cedos, with the support of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Ukraine, organised the Housing Leadership Lab, a three-day workshop for housing leaders.

The event brought together 27 participants from all over Ukraine: representatives of municipalities from different hromadas in Ukraine, NGOs, and government agencies.

Over the course of three days, housing leaders presented their best practices, discussed important topics, and exchanged experiences on working on the common problem of the housing crisis in Ukraine. The participants worked together to develop practical recommendations for municipalities, NGOs and donors, as well as recommendations for legislative changes.

“We believe that dialogue and exchange of experience on an equal footing is the best tool for strengthening local self-government and civil society, and thus strengthening democratic institutions and political culture in Ukraine. We hope that these ideas and best practices will help ensure the realisation of the right to housing as an inalienable human right,” — says Ivan Verbytskyi, Cedos Director.

The main topics of discussion during the Lab were:

  • Raising funds for the reconstruction or construction of housing.
  • Mechanisms for the transition from modular to permanent housing.
  • What should donors who want to create social housing do?
  • Use of existing buildings for social housing.
  • Formation of revolving funds for the creation of housing in Ukraine.
  • Potential of IDPs’ self-organisation for housing creation.
  • The system of distribution of municipal housing.

We are sincerely grateful to all participants for their active position, patience and motivation to improve housing policies in Ukraine.

Cedos systematically works on research in the topic of housing, in particular, state housing policy, rent, and social housing development. Today, Cedos is working on researching the needs of cities and territorial hromadas in terms of providing people with housing, as well as preparing recommendations for international humanitarian organisations on creating programmes to support the development of social housing.