Housing Institute prepares analysis of municipal housing

The Housing Institute, which launched in this autumn, aims to focus on analytical work, with its first project being a study of municipal housing in pilot regions, according to Alina Moskalenko, the director of the institute, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Moskalenko clarified that the creation of the Housing Institute was initiated by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Ukraine. Legally, the institute operates as part of NRC, with the first phase of its work planned until the end of 2025.

"We operate as an internal NRC project, attracting various donors to specific areas of activity. The project launched with the support of UNHCR and IOM, who also serve as our technical partners. In future stages, we plan to involve donors to tackle specific operational tasks – whether it's research, drafting legal regulations, conducting public information campaigns, or developing media resources," Moskalenko said.

The institute will focus on research, assisting in developing legal regulations, and advancing housing solutions, including for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and others affected by the war in Ukraine. According to Moskalenko, they have already begun a study of the municipal housing sector using extensive data collection methods, including active communication with local communities to understand local challenges.

"The key question is how local authorities are addressing housing needs in their areas. If they lack a housing stock owned by the community, known today as the municipal housing fund, they must engage donors, seek investments, and use mechanisms such as public-private partnerships and international technical assistance to expand their resources or provide, for example, communal land for discounted use, encouraging the creation of cohousing or housing cooperatives. There are indeed many mechanisms, and the community should generate these solutions," Moskalenko said.

She added that the analysis would not only consider existing municipal housing properties but also buildings that could be converted into housing after reconstruction. "Even properties that won't become part of the housing stock but are designated for emergency or crisis situations will be considered as temporary housing solutions," she said.

By the end of the year, the institute plans to complete an analysis in pilot regions. At this stage, criteria for selecting communities are being approved. The Housing Institute intends to choose communities with little experience working with international partners but with large numbers of IDPs, comprehensive development programs, or those actively working to create them, and above all, a strong desire to develop their community.

"Ukraine has active communities that can establish effective partnerships with donor organizations and communities in other countries. But there should be more of them, and we, as an institute, must develop these new skills," Moskalenko said, explaining regarding the selection logic for pilot regions.

Moreover, NRC experts within the Housing Institute are already involved in discussions about legislative changes. Specifically, they have contributed to drafting the Law of Ukraine "On the Basic Principles of Housing Policy," which is expected to replace the current Housing Code and is set to be submitted to parliament. They are also working on a draft law on social housing.

Moskalenko also expressed plans to launch a media platform and a library within the Housing Institute, citing a lack of professional literature on housing policy.

"In Ukraine, housing and urban planning are clearly separated at the legislative level – housing and urban development are treated as distinct fields, unlike in Europe, where housing is understood as a complete cycle. We bring literature from international meetings with colleagues, building a collection that can be used to write analytical materials and generate new ideas in our country. We want to digitize this literature and make it publicly available on our website," Moskalenko said.

She added that the Housing Institute has already secured distribution rights for certain publications, such as literature donated by the Barcelona City Council.