Tracing the path of social housing policy in Ukraine

​​​This paper is one of nine drafted by national entities in Ukraine as part of a UN-Habitat-commissioned collection entitled Thematic Paper Series Informing Urban Recovery Approaches in Ukraine. The paper examines the evolution of Ukraine’s social housing policy, from Soviet-era public housing provision and post-1991 privatisation to recent efforts to expand social and affordable housing in response to the war. It finds that the near-disappearance of public housing provision, limited development of rental alternatives, fragmented governance and weak integration between housing policy and urban planning have left the country poorly equipped to respond to growing and changing housing needs. 

The war has intensified these structural weaknesses while creating renewed momentum for social housing reform, including new legislation and municipally led initiatives. The paper highlights an opportunity to establish a more coherent system of social and affordable housing through sustainable financing, clearer governance arrangements, stronger municipal delivery and closer integration with urban planning.