The situation with housing rental for displaced persons in Ukraine
Every fourth displaced person in Ukraine has lost their savings due to housing rental expenses amid a housing crisis caused by the large-scale Russian aggression. As of today, there are over 3.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine, of which more than 1.8 million have been forced to rent housing since the beginning of 2022.
In large cities, the share of displaced persons among renters reaches 71%. Half of the IDPs spend a third of their monthly income on housing, and nearly 20% spend more than half of their monthly earnings on housing. This financial burden has led to the fact that every fourth displaced person with high financial pressure has already spent their savings.
Problems and prospects
It should be noted that a rental subsidy program for IDPs is scheduled to be launched in 2025. However, only 48% of displaced persons are aware of this program, and only 6% of them have applied for subsidies. At the same time, only 28% of landlords agree to officially rent out their property, while 35% are categorically opposed to interacting with the state.
Among the displaced persons facing rental issues, only 40% have a rental agreement. This indicates serious challenges faced by IDPs in Ukraine, highlighting the need for effective solutions to improve their situation.
The housing rental problem for internally displaced persons in Ukraine is a consequence of not only military actions but also the economic difficulties that have befallen the country. High housing costs significantly limit IDPs' opportunities for restoring normal life. The successful implementation of the rental subsidy program can be an important step in supporting displaced persons; however, this requires active communication and cooperation between government structures and citizens.