The Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine will prepare proposals for several locations in communities that could become the starting point for pilot social housing construction projects and submit them to the Japanese side for evaluation. This was agreed during a working meeting within the framework of the Japanese-Ukrainian platform JUPITeR, which took place at the Ministry of Development.
On the Ukrainian side, the meeting was chaired by Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development Nataliia Kozlovska. The Japanese delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Japan Prefabricated Construction Suppliers and Manufacturers Association (JPCSMA).
The main topic of the meeting was the discussion of possible specific projects in communities to create a social housing fund. This involves the launch of the first pilot projects, which could mark the beginning of broader cooperation between Ukraine and Japan in addressing housing issues.
“A law on the basic principles of housing policy was recently adopted and signed by the President. In effect, the country now has a legislative framework for the formation of a social housing system. Today, the housing sector faces two major challenges: the restoration of damaged housing and long-term solutions for internally displaced persons. The creation of a social housing fund could be such a stable solution, and it is in this area that we see potential for cooperation with Japan,” said Natalia Kozlovska.
According to the Deputy Minister, combining the technological capabilities of Japanese businesses with the preparatory work of Ukrainian communities, coordinated by the Ministry of Development, will make it possible to quickly create new housing solutions for internally displaced persons.
During the meeting, representatives of the Japan Prefabricated Housing Manufacturers Association presented concepts for the construction of modern modular housing. The possibility of implementing one such project in Lviv is currently being considered.
The parties paid particular attention to the practical issues of implementing such projects: the possible volumes and terms of production of modular houses, the cost of their construction, the possibility of scaling up construction, delivery logistics and the overall terms of project implementation.
The meeting participants also discussed further steps to launch the initiative. In particular, it is planned to take into account the experience of restoration projects that Ukraine is already implementing together with French partners. This involves preparing a technical and economic justification for each site, with a clear distribution of roles between the parties, a financial model and the economic efficiency of the projects.
“Practice shows that any project moves best after the launch of a pilot. When there is an implemented example, it is easier to scale the solution. We view social and affordable housing not as a one-off initiative, but as a systemic investment tool integrated into housing policy and long-term community recovery,” emphasised Nataliia Kozlovska.
Following the discussion, the parties agreed to explore the possibility of implementing several small projects in different cities in the first phase. This will allow the model to be tested, its effectiveness demonstrated, and a basis for scaling created.
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