Ukraine's Housing Overhaul: Four Groups Retain Eligibility for State-Provided Homes.

Ukraine Enacts Sweeping Housing Reform

According to Novyny.live: President Zelenskyy has signed Law No. 12377, initiating a major reform of Ukraine's housing system. This landmark legislation abolishes the outdated Soviet Housing Code and its framework for free housing allocation, marking a significant shift in the state's approach to providing homes for its citizens to meet contemporary standards.

Key Provisions of the New Law

The new law formally repeals the Soviet-era code that governed housing relations for decades. However, it preserves the right to state-provided housing for four specific categories of citizens:

• Military personnel and their families;
• Internally displaced persons (IDPs);
• Children who are orphans;
• People with disabilities and those affected by disasters.

This reform is part of Ukraine's broader post-war reconstruction and legal modernization efforts, moving away from Soviet-era systems. The concept of indefinite, free use of state housing will be phased out 12 months after the end of the current martial law. The state's housing policy will transition to a model based on social rental agreements. New provisions also allow for the privatization of apartments during martial law and for one year after its termination. As Roman Simutin, an official involved in the reform, stated:

"The apartment is not yours. You simply live in it. If you want to pass it on to your children, then you must buy it." - Roman Simutin

Consequently, Ukraine's new housing reform aims to adapt legislation to modern realities and societal needs, fundamentally changing how housing is provided for vulnerable groups. The abolition of the Soviet code and the shift to social rentals are expected to significantly alter housing relations in Ukraine, promoting greater fairness and transparency in the distribution of housing resources. These changes are anticipated to positively impact social stability, particularly for the nation's most vulnerable populations.