Guide for Mainstreaming Housing in Lebanon’s National Urban Policy

Access to affordable, adequate and secure housing presents a major challenge in Lebanon, especially in big urban centres. The housing sector is characterized by a persistent housing–income disconnect and supply–demand mismatch. Besides long-standing issues, the sector’s challenges have also exacerbated due to the multiple crises facing the country – protracted Syrian refugee crisis, 2020 Beirut Port explosion, and socioeconomic crisis.

As part of the National Urban Policy (NUP) programme in Lebanon, and following the publication of a diagnosis report, this guide outlines the necessary policy orientations in order to design and implement a future national housing strategy. After providing an analysis of the housing sector, the guide identifies three major housing policy priorities: 1) Tighten the regulation and organization of land and real estate markets; 2) Diversify the channels of housing finance and delivery; and 3) Regenerate the existing formal and informal housing stock. It also provides an action plan that converts them to actionable programmes, instruments and interventions. It proposes 21 recommendations with short-term initiatives while also laying the groundwork for longer-term policy goals.