Commitment: Developing housing strategy document for the realization of a right to housing
Commitment Description:

Within the fourth challenge of OGP, the Action Plan envisioned developing the first-ever National Strategy document for the realization of a right to proper housing. The need analysis revealed that the existing legislative regulations, including the exact methodology for determining the status of homelessness and the separation of powers and functions of state and local self-government bodies, are vague. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a unified vision and strategy for tackling the problem of homelessness, which will help to solve the problem step by step. 

Outcome: A vision of the State has been developed that will meet the homelessness challenges in Georgia on a stage-by-stage basis.
Timeline: Start date - January 2019, End date - September 2021
OGP Thematic Areas: Transparency, Accountability
Reporting Period: 2019, Annual
Lead Agency: Ministry of Internally Displaced from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs

Addressing the problem of homelessness, given its complexity, requires the State to identify both short-term and long-term priorities. In the reporting period, significant steps were made towards the procedural improvement of housing policy development and preparation of the basis for policy development.

According to the Decree N190 of the Government of Georgia dated by 12 April 2019, “On Establishment of a Governmental Commission supporting the development of the Housing Policy document and action plan,” Governmental Commission supporting the development of the Housing Policy document and action plan – Advisory body of the Government of Georgia was set up. The Commission, within its competence, ensures the following:

• Development of a unified vision addressing the challenge of homelessness considering the best practices and socio-economic capacities of the country;
• Development and implementation of the housing policy document and its action plan;
• Planning interagency coordination and the activities to be implemented.

The Commission incorporates the following governmental agencies:

• Ministry of Internally Displaced from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia
• Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia
• Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia
• Ministry of Finance of Georgia
• Administration of the Government of Georgia
• Other state agencies

The policy document is developed with the engagement of various stakeholders. According to the Decree, an Interagency Working Group is established as well. Due to the complexity of the issue, the focus of the working group was on ensuring maximum involvement of different stakeholders. As a result, the Working Group now incorporates members of relevant Ministries, other state agencies, international organizations, and local NGOs, and independent experts. The group is responsible for preparing summaries/ proposals/ recommendations/ draft legal acts.

The first meeting of the Commission supporting the development of the Housing Policy document and action plan and the Working Group was held on May 28^th, 2019. At the session, attendees discussed further steps and the work format of the Commission and the Working Group. Moreover, the emphasis was made on the examination of the current housing situation in Georgia.

Another meeting of the Commission and the Working Group was held on June 16^th, 2019, where the parties assessed the current situation: housing policy, the issue of “homelessness” as the critical issue of the housing policy, and the typology of homeless. Also, ISET Research Institute made a presentation on problem identification by ETHOS classification. The meeting participants defined the structure and content of the Housing Policy document and specified the terminology. Due to the complexity of the issue, it was determined to include short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals in the Strategy, while the first action plan would only focus on short-term goals. The parties discussed the draft action plan at the meeting and defined the next steps.

At the end of the reporting period, a draft version of the problem tree and logical framework is developed, which is a fundamental part of the Strategy. Consultations on these documents with international and local NGOs continue.

According to the Secretariat's assessment, the commitment is not implemented within the deadlines set by the Action Plan. None of the parts of the Strategy are developed in a final format. The draft version of the problem tree and the logical framework has been formulated, which calls for additional consultations. An interagency commission was set up, which due to its technical nature, does not have an impact on the achievement of the goals set forth by the commitment.

It should be noted that, according to the action plan, the development/approval of the Housing Policy document is scheduled at the end of 2020 and 2021.

Contact point: Tea Gvaramadze - Head of Social Protection Division of Policy Department