UN-Habitat and UNHCR present “Housing, Land and Property Issues of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon from Homs City”, the second in a series of reports being produced on the HLP conditions of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. This report offers an analysis of the main issues and needs of refugees in the current market that is supplying shelter to the most vulnerable groups in Lebanon. Additionally, the report positions access to housing in the context of a protracted crisis and delves into the legal and other barriers to the enjoyment of the right to adequate housing by Syrian refugees. It is based on a survey conducted with more than 1,500 Homs refugee households, residing in various regions of Lebanon, complemented with seven focus group discussions. The focus of this study on Homs refugees specifically is due to the city’s proximity to Lebanon’s northern borders and the relatively high number of refugees who were displaced from this city and fled to Lebanon. The report findings recognize that refugees in Lebanon do not constitute a homogenous group, and that a more coordinate response tackling the informal rental market is needed for a better access to more adequate shelter. The findings and recommendations aim to contribute to interventions targeting immediate refugee needs and to longer-term developmental planning.

The production of the report would not have been possible without the greatly appreciated support of the Ford Foundation.