Housing needs of internally displaced persons in Ukraine

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Written by Sergii Zapototskyi – UVECON, EECFA Ukraine

The full-scale invasion of Russia caused a deep humanitarian crisis and exacerbated socio-economic disparities in Ukraine. One of the key challenges is to provide homes for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The mass movement of the population created a shortage of affordable and temporary housing as the infrastructure was not ready for such a load. The government is already working on a new housing policy, which might also help resolve the issue of housing for IDPs.

Source: https://www.ioc.gov.ua/analytics/dashboard-vpo

Statistics on internally displaced persons

As of 1 November, this year, 4,588,045 internally displaced persons were officially registered in Ukraine, including 838,436 children under the age of 18 [1]. Most IDPS are in Kharkiv region (508 thousand or 11%), followed by Dnipropetrovsk region (467 thousand or 10%), the city of Kyiv (430 thousand or 9.4%) and Kyiv region (232 thousand or 5%). [3]. IDPs in these regions total about 1.6 million people [1]. As per the result of the 16th round of the survey conducted by The International Organization for Migration (IOM, UN Migration), as of April 2024, about 2.7 million internally displaced people were from frontline areas.

Housing damages, needs and solutions

In total, more than 1.3 million Ukrainian households lost their homes because of the war, including not only IDPs, but also residents of settlements that suffered extensive destruction. The World Bank estimates total housing needs in Ukraine between 2025 and 2035 to be USD 86 billion, mostly to finance repair and reconstruction works of the housing stock (estimated at USD 75.5 billion including the cost of clearing rubble at USD 5.7 billion). USD 404.6 million should go to acute housing needs and funding has also been identified for organizational measures (USD 37.5 million) and regulatory and technical processes, including the development of strategies (USD 12.5 million) to coordinate and implement reconstruction programs [4].

Citizens have already submitted over 850,000 reports of housing damage through the Diia app (the national public-services portal) totalling over 60 million sqm of losses. For comparison, in the pre-war period, an average of 9-10 million sqm of homes were completed in Ukraine each year, demonstrating the scale of challenge and need for multi-level solutions in housing policy. Preferential lending programs are unable to solve this situation and cover the housing needs. The ‘jeOselia’ program provided loans worth over UAH 28 billion, but 52% of this went to military personnel, while IDPs received only 566 pieces of loans. In 2024, within the framework of this 3% mortgage program, only 500 families were provided with housing. The situation is even more critical in the rental market as the state program for subsidizing rental housing has shown low efficiency. The majority of IDPs (90-95%) rent homes unofficially, making them vulnerable to unreliable living conditions and unjustified rental charge increases or evictions.

Modular settlement, Borodianka. Photo: Sergii Zapototskyi

Modular settlements are a key temporary housing for IDPs, although living conditions here cannot be considered fully comfortable. Initially, they were meant to be short-term but gradually became long-term housing for many families due to their limited finances. Today, besides the psychological difficulties and discomfort of residents, operating such facilities is also a major challenge. The maintenance of modular settlements, including payment for utilities, repairs and security, falls entirely on local budgets, an additional financial burden for communities which often do not have enough resources to sustainably finance these.

Modular settlement, Bucha. Photo: Sergii Zapototskyi

Housing policy changes

As the problem of providing housing for IDPs is systemic in nature and cannot be solved solely through financial instruments, a comprehensive review of state housing policy has become necessary, particularly the development of an affordable rental housing segment, social programs, and long-term support mechanisms for both IDPs and vulnerable categories of the population in general.

The Ukrainian Parliament is already working on several key legislative initiatives. The central one is draft law No. 12377 ‘On the Basic Principles of Housing Policy’ to replace the current Housing Code from 1983 which does not contain basic concepts for modern housing policy such as social rental housing or housing stock of communal ownership. Draft law No. 4080 is also important on the inventory of the housing stock. In parallel with drafting these laws, necessary by-laws are being prepared to regulate the practical mechanisms for implementing housing policy (creation and maintenance of housing queues, criteria for selecting recipients of state support, and the procedure of providing various forms of housing assistance). In addition, the government’s plans until 2027 include allocating EUR 650 million to the eRecovery Program, EUR 450 million to support IDPs, military personnel and the families of the deceased, creating a social housing fund and introducing a unified state online system for the long-term strategy of social integration and support for vulnerable categories of the population. All this might help resolve housing for IDPs.

Sources:

  1. Internally Displaced Persons. State Enterprise “Information and Computing Center of the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine”: https://www.ioc.gov.ua/analytics/dashboard-vpo
  2. Housing crisis in Ukraine: how to provide IDPs with housing in 2025? International Renaissance Foundation: https://www.irf.ua/zhytlova-kryza-v-ukrayini-yak-zabezpechyty-vpo-zhytlom-u-2025-roczi/
  3. Internal Displacement Report, IOM Ukraine: https://dtm.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1461/files/reports/IOM_UKR_GPS_Internal%20Displacement%20Report_Round%2016_UA_June%202024.pdf
  4. Rapid Assessment of Damage and Recovery Needs RDNA4, World Bank Group: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099052925103531065/pdf/P180174-93c8e8c1-83a2-487d-aaec-a8435f9db418.pdf  
  5. Cedos, Housing and Residential Conditions in Ukraine: Survey Results, 2024: https://cedos.org.ua/wp-content/uploads/zhytlo-ta-zhytlovi-umovy-ukrayin_ok_rezultaty-opytuvannya.pdf

More on the Ukrainian housing market and forecast for the segment, as well as the rest of the construction market will be in our Winter Forecast Report Ukraine to be out on 12 December, along with our other 7 country reports. To obtain it and check a sample report: https://eecfa.com/

Post-war reconstruction of Ukraine: plans and prospects

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Written by Sergii Zapototskyi – UVECON, EECFA Ukraine

Ukraine has been defending its independence with weapons in hand for over 1000 days. Through blood and suffering, it has preserved its name on the world map and is gaining more and more respect as a nation of unconquered, proud and free people. And despite the war, life goes on and there is a constant need for reconstruction and restoration.

Destroyed kindergarten in Kyiv. Photo by Sergii Zapototskyi

In September 2024, the Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction and the Head of the State Reconstruction Agency were appointed, and in parallel, the government approved the ‘Unified portfolio of public investment projects’ which is a list of large-scale post-war reconstruction projects (750 currently) with an estimated UAH 2.36 trillion. At the same time, total funds of the State Budget of Ukraine for public projects in 2025 is UAH 256.1 billion where UAH 186.9 billion are receipts from international financial organizations and donors (loans, grants, state guarantees).

The priority is to increase the stability and the restoration of the energy grid of Ukraine and UAH 51.3 billion are earmarked for such public projects in 2025. Energy facilities in the portfolio include the construction of the 3rd and 4th units of Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant on UAH 134 billion to provide an additional 2 GW of energy capacity. (The loss of energy capacity in Ukraine in 2024 alone has been about 9 GW). Another priority is the rehabilitation of hydroelectric power plants on over UAH 15.3 billion and a pilot project for hydrogen energy on UAH 413 million.

Transport projects are estimated at UAH 248 billion and the main ones include the completion of a concrete bypass road around Zhytomyr and the development of border road infrastructure on the Ukrainian-Polish border (Krakovets, Rava-Ruska, Yavoriv in Lviv region). The segment will also see metro development in Kharkiv and Dnipro, the development of seaports in Kherson and Odessa, as well as the restoration of civil aviation in the future like the reconstruction of airports in Boryspil (UAH 32.8 billion), Lviv (UAH 1.2 billion) and Chernivtsi (UAH 1 billion).

Besides these, they plan to build the National War Memorial Cemetery (UAH 7.4 billion), to provide housing for war veterans (almost UAH 20 billion) and for internally displaced persons (UAH 1.7 billion), and to centrally repair war-damaged housing (UAH 35 billion) and Okhmatdyt hospital (UAH 14.8 billion). There are also many renovation projects for schools, gymnasiums, and several projects to build new or renovate prisons and detention centers (e.g. a new pre-trial detention center in Kyiv region on around UAH 1.6 billion and the repair of a camp for prisoners of war in Lviv region on UAH 112 million). UAH 6.7 billion have been allocated for adaptation to climate change as well, and a dozen of waste processing plants will be built across Ukraine on over UAH 124 billion, including water purification systems.

On the one hand, this is post-war reconstruction through repairs and construction that have been postponed for years. On the other, this is a historic chance for the economy to start hundreds of new projects that will create a new quality of life for citizens through new jobs, better wages and social protection, greater accessibility to housing, education, and medical services.

Expenditures from the state budget for priority reconstruction works will be UAH 141.1 billion. Another UAH 115 billion is provided in state guarantees, which will allow borrowing money for construction from foreign partners. First, they plan to use funds under the Ukraine Facility program for EUR 50 billion financed by the EU. Financing is also planned through international financial organizations and foreign governments where the latter take patronage over the revival of Ukrainian regions. Local financing and others (public-private partnerships and various grants) are also included. Large-scale reconstruction could bring big foreign investors to Ukraine, mainly construction companies with their technologies and expertise.

Forecast for the whole construction sector of Ukraine will be available on 16 December in the new EECFA Forecast Report Ukraine that can be purchased on the EECFA website.

What happens to Ukraine’s construction market amid the war?

Posted on by efalucskai

Written by Sergii Zapototskyi – UVECON, EECFA Ukraine

The full-scale war in Ukraine has been going on for more than a year and a half. People are dying, cities are being shelled. The real consequences are now difficult to calculate, but even available estimates are huge. And the construction market is facing rising construction costs, shortages of building material and skilled labour.

Izyum, Kharkiv region, City Hospital. Photo by Sergii Zapototskyi

Documented damages

As of 1 September 2023, direct documented damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure due to the full-scale Russian invasion amounted to around USD 151.2 billion (at replacement cost):

  • Housing losses remain the largest share of total direct damage (USD 55.9bln). In total, about 167,200 homes were destroyed or damaged (of which 147,800 private houses, 19,100 apartment buildings) mostly in Donetsk, Kyiv, Lugansk, Kharkov, Nikolaev, Chernigov, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
  • Infrastructure and industry, as well as enterprises came second and third in terms of losses (USD 36.6bln and USD 11.4bln, respectively). 18 airports and civilian airfields, at least 344 bridges and bridge crossings, and more than 25,000 km of state and local highways and public roads have been damaged so far. And at least 426 large and medium-sized private and state-owned production facilities were damaged or destroyed because of the war.
  • Education buildings are also hard hit (USD 10.1bln in damage). The number of damaged and destroyed educational facilities already exceeds 3,500 (more than 1,700 secondary, more than 1,000 preschool, and 586 higher education institutions). Most destroyed and damaged buildings are in Donetsk, Kharkov, Kherson, Nikolaev, Zaporozhye and Kyiv regions.
  • Losses also continue to grow in healthcare buildings (USD 2.9bln). In total, 1,223 medical institutions were destroyed or damaged, including 384 hospitals and 352 outpatient clinics.
Izyum, Kharkiv region, multi-storey buildings. Photo by Sergii Zapototskyi

The construction market during the war

With the full-scale invasion, almost all developers suspended work and many of them in the residential and commercial sectors have not yet resumed it yet or some work at a minimum level. According to market analysts, out of 90% of sites that were supposed to resume construction after 24 February 2022, only 50% have done so now. At the same time, barely a third of companies have acceptable construction rates. Construction cost has already grown by 37% since the beginning of 2023, pushing up the average cost per square meter. The main factors behind the decline in construction were physical danger, a major increase in exchange rates and high inflation, which massively reduced the purchasing power of Ukrainians. Serious obstacles also arose with logistics, and due to the suspension of construction work and interruptions in supply, demand for metal structures collapsed. And after Russia destroyed two metallurgical giants, Azovstal and MMKI (Mariupol Metallurgical Plant), the market faced a shortage of rolled metal products. The destruction of some industrial enterprises added to the problems, and at end 2022, the market of metal structures in Ukraine sank by 55%-65%.

Kupyansk, Kharkiv region, factory. Photo by Sergii Zapototskyi

In October-December 2022, construction companies faced a new challenge: they had to adapt to power outage schedules or buy powerful generators to ensure uninterrupted construction. Most developers found it more practical to suspend construction, which also contributed to declining construction volumes. The most serious problem though in many regions were the massive rocket and artillery attacks. Thus, in 2022 the total area of completed housing was 7.1 million sqm, 38% less than in 2021 (11.4 million sqm). Last year, as per Ukrsat, the lion’s share of housing was put into operation in the western regions, mainly due to security (residents wanted to escape from the war).

Now the construction market is facing the following challenges:

  • There is a decrease in demand and an increase in construction costs.
  • Many building material plants were located in the east and many have been destroyed or suspended, thus domestic building material production has slumped.
  • Main logistic corridors and ports are still not working and alternative routes are not yet able to fully cover the deficit. The expected return of the excise tax on fuel will lead to an even greater increase in logistic costs.
  • Ukraine is facing a shortage of skilled labour. There are fewer quality graduates from Ukrainian universities, and students are leaving. Students studying abroad are in no hurry to return to a country at war, so they obtain jobs there. Also, many skilled specialists joined the armed forces, or retrained due to the drop in construction volumes, or went abroad.

When the war ends, a lot will have to be built and restored. Ukraine has lost more than 170 million sqm of housing and it is clear that the market will not be able to cope with such recovery volumes on its own. The level of demand will largely depend on the course of the war (damage caused), the expected liberation of Ukrainian territories, the volume and consistency of international financial assistance (mainly to cover the huge expenses of the state budget), and the general economic situation. And once the urban planning reform (to make the market transparent) is completed, business processes in development, primarily in financing housing construction, may significantly change. Also, in the primary housing market there may be a shift to quality, safety, energy efficiency and functionality. When the war ends, residential complexes and serviced apartments in the live-work-play format may become priority (built according to new ecological, energy-saving, and functional standards with a high degree of safety).

To obtain the EECFA Forecast Report Ukraine and to view a sample report, please visit eecfa.com. EECFA (Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association) conducts research on the construction markets of 8 Eastern-European countries, including Ukraine.

Destruction of the built environment and consequences of the war in Ukraine

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Written by Sergii Zapototskyi – UVECON, EECFA Ukraine

On 24 February, 2022, Russia, with the support of Belarus, started an open military attack on Ukraine. Since the first days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, civilians, ambulances, orphanages, hospitals and residential areas have come under shelling and airstrikes; a deliberate massive violation of international humanitarian law. As per the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), between the outbreak of hostilities and 2 May, 6469 civilian casualties were recorded (3153 killed and 3316 injured) in Ukraine and the territories controlled by the partially recognized republics of Donbass. Deceased civilians included 226 children, while the wounded comprised 319 children. In Donetsk and Luhansk regions there were 3241 casualties (1,638 killed and 1,603 injured), including 484 casualties (99 killed and 385 injured) on the territory controlled by the self-proclaimed republics. OHCHR believes that civilian casualties are likely to be ‘considerably higher’, though, especially in Mariupol, Popasnaya, Izium and Borodianka where intense fighting has taken place and is continuing.

All photos were made by Sergii Zapototskyi

Refugee crisis

The invasion has caused a major migration crisis: according to the UN, as of 26 April, 5.32 million refugees left Ukraine, mostly to Poland (2.848 million), Romania (0.764 million), Russia 0.563 million), Hungary (0.476 million), Moldova (0.429 million), Slovakia (0.346 million), and Belarus (0.024 million). As of 21 March, roughly 6.5 million people became internally displaced, mostly women with children and elderly people. According to UNICEF, more than half of the children in Ukraine have become refugees. At present, according to opinion polls, 73% of refugees seek to return home, but if the war drags on, and the scale of destruction caused by the shelling of peaceful cities by Russian troops increases, the vast majority of migrants will simply have nowhere to return.

Economic damage

The 9 most affected regions account for 30% of Ukraine’s GDP. GDP contraction in 2022 is forecasted to range from 10% to 35%-40% (provided that the occupied territories do not increase, and the active phase will last for several months). These figures correspond to a reduction in electricity consumption of around 35% (published by DTEK, the largest private investor in the energy industry in Ukraine). The sources of at least 70% of Ukrainian GDP remain more or less intact. Total losses of the Ukrainian economy (direct and indirect) due to the war range from USD 564 billion to USD 600 billion. Direct documented damage to infrastructure is estimated at USD 88 billion. In the last week of April, direct losses to the Ukrainian economy due to destruction and damage to civilian and military infrastructure grew by USD 3.1 billion.


Destruction to infrastructure, industry, residential buildings

The destruction of the Russian invasion is wide-scale, hammering infrastructure, industry and residential areas. As of today, at least 23000km of roads and 32000sqm of housing stock have been destroyed or seized. The housing stock was especially badly damaged where there were active battles and shelling by aircraft and artillery continued:
i) In Mariupol (Donetsk region): according to local authorities, 90% of buildings were torn down.
ii) In Irpen (Kyiv region): 50% of buildings were destroyed.
iii) In the administrative divisions of Kyiv oblast: 1875 objects were damaged (546 completely destroyed, 1329 partially ruined).
iv) In Kyiv region: 28 multi-storey buildings, 441 private houses, 8 educational institutions, 4 healthcare institutions, 8 cultural institutions and 2 sports institutions were wrecked.
v) In Kharkiv: heavily shelled by Russian artillery, more than 1300 residential multi-storey buildings, 70 schools, 54 kindergartens, 16 hospitals were badly damaged.
vi) In Kyiv city: more than 100 buildings were damaged, including 6 schools and 14 kindergartens. The load-bearing structures were damaged in 6 residential buildings, which cannot be restored, so they will need to be dismantled. All other buildings have to be restored.

Within the total direct documented damage, the biggest losses to infrastructure are the costs of housing stock and the assets of companies. 40% of the total number of damaged, destroyed or seized residential buildings and enterprises are in Donetsk region, 23% in Kharkiv region, 12% in Chernihiv region and 8% in Kyiv region.

In total, 535 kindergartens, 866 institutions of secondary and higher education, 231 medical institutions, 173 factories and enterprises, at least 75 administrative buildings, 277 bridges and bridge crossings, 11 military airfields, 11 airports and 2 ports are damaged or destroyed in Ukraine. There is not a single hospital in Luhansk region with no damage and in places of active hostilities there are military doctors and the wounded and seriously ill are evacuated to safe places. Also, as of the end of April, at least 95 religious and 130 other cultural buildings were damaged, destroyed or seized: 47 religious buildings, 9 museums, 28 historical buildings, 3 theaters, 12 monuments, 3 libraries and more.

Right now, there is a necessity to find resources for specific projects for the restoration of housing stock. And the post-war restoration of Ukraine’s infrastructure and economy will depend, among other things, on the return of Ukrainians from abroad (workers, business development, industry, etc). One area is the planning and expansion of the housing stock in the western regions of Ukraine where there are at least 5 million internally displaced people as during the war people might integrate into a new place and some might not return to their regions of origin. After the end of hostilities, it is also necessary to rethink and restart life. The experience of war confirms that new houses will have to be built with a fortified underground parking (like they do in Israel), using energy-saving technologies, for example.
 
In the framework of the program to relocate enterprises, up to 1500 industries can be transferred to 9 western regions (currently about 121 enterprises have moved). Losses of industrial assets amount to USD 6.7 billion (about 100 industrial enterprises were damaged or destroyed). Metallurgy lost at least 30% of assets with the biggest losses registered by Azovstal and MMK Ilyich respectively (the second and third largest plants).

Damage to export and agriculture

Export of goods from Ukraine is limited as Russian troops blocked Ukrainian ports in the Azov and Black Seas. Road and rail infrastructure can also transport limited volumes of goods due to the mass evacuation of Ukrainians by railway and roadblocks. By sea, Ukraine transported 62% of the total dollar value of goods, while by rail 12% and by road 23%.
 
Agriculture is a direct victim of the Russian aggression with the fighting often taking place on Ukrainian fields/farms. About 13% of the territory of Ukraine is covered with landmines plotted by Russians. There is a risk of a protracted war in Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions whose share of wheat production is 23%, corn is 3%, barley is 21% and sunflower seeds is 20%.

Post-war recovery

The main prerequisite for the post-war economic recovery is for Ukraine to receive reliable security guarantees that hostilities will not resume on her territory. In the absence of this, private investment will be reduced to zero, economic activity will be stifled, and security costs will have to be relied on business, raising the cost of economic activity and undermining competitiveness.

Key goals of the post-war economic recovery should be: i) real estates and infrastructure destroyed or damaged in the war should be restored; ii) economic activity should resume swiftly; iii) refugees and internally displaced persons should return and be involved in economic processes; and iv) foundations for a sustainable economic growth should be established.

In the long run, rebuilding and restoring Ukraine will cost at least USD 600 billion, including not only the restoration of infrastructure, but also the development of a new economy and new European institutions. Options for funding might comprise the frozen assets of the Russian Federation and the European and American funds for the restoration of Ukrainian infrastructure. The EU plans to create a solidarity trust fund to finance the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine (similarly to the Covid-19 recovery fund) and finance investments and reforms in agreement with the government of Ukraine. It is not yet clear how much will be provided through grants or loans as the war in Ukraine still rages on, but the EU told ambassadors that the figure would reach hundreds of billions of euros within decades. The Ukrainian diplomacy should focus on obtaining the EU candidate status and then obtaining full membership; so the program of post-war reconstruction should be harmonized with the tasks of EU membership and ensure the inclusion of Ukraine in the European pre-accession training programs.

Ukraine’s construction market amid the pandemic in 2021: a mixed bag

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Written by Sergii Zapototskyi – UVECON, EECFA Ukraine

Since Ukraine is dependent on global economic changes to a great extent, the global crisis triggered by the pandemic has greatly affected its construction industry. Let’s see how.

Good news, bad news

The pace of housing construction significantly slowed down in Ukraine; the index of construction products for 2020 in the residential real estate segment amounted to 81.5% in comparison with 2019. At the same time, the average price per square meter grew by 6.5%. Yet the volume of non-residential constructions remained almost unchanged (99.3%) and civil engineering constructions even outstripped 2019 (111.6%) due to the implementation of the state program dubbed ‘Big Construction’ within which more than 3.9 thousand km of roads were repaired, and 114 schools, 100 kindergartens and 101 sports facilities were either built or reconstructed.

Source: freepik.com

As a real estate expert evaluation shows, more properties are being bought in the large cities of Ukraine such as Kiev, Odessa, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Lviv. The reason is the growing population number which is a good stimulus for the economy, construction, the development of engineering and social infrastructure, as well as business activity. In these cities, including the capital city, this year might see a further rise in prices and a greater revival of the real estate market (an increase in construction projects of residential complexes, cottage settlements, low-rise residential buildings, office and shopping centers, underground and ground parking lots).

The latest EECFA Construction Forecast Report Ukraine can be purchased on eecfa.com.

Residential

Influencing factors and reform on the downside

In 2021 the key influencing factors, which are also the risks for the real estate market of Ukraine, may be the failures of healthcare and vaccinations, which will lead to the disappointment of consumers and a passivity on their side.

And this year the factors making real estate investment risky will not be eliminated either: corruption and administrative/regulatory problems like the reform of SACI (State Architecture and Construction Inspectorate of Ukraine). SACI was planned to be liquidated on grounds of being a “corruption department”, and a transparent system for issuing permits and construction supervision was to be created instead. But what happened was that the market was simply halted. The system is on the brink of collapse; already built facilities are not being put into operation and many projects scheduled to start last year were postponed by developers. A series of defaults by high-profile developers (Arkada Bank, Ukrbud, etc.) also undermined investor confidence in the residential segment – financing housing construction in Ukraine is mostly carried out at the expense of future homeowners.

Suburban housing construction and mortgage program on the upside

Amid the pandemic most buyers are focusing on suburban housing construction as during the lockdown the remote work scheme emerged and many companies are willing to permanently switch to it. Thus, living in a city with its transport and environmental problems lost its lure for many when one can live 20-30 minutes away from the city in a comfortable suburban home. We are returning to the concept of full-fledged satellite cities with various types of buildings (multi-storey terraced houses, townhouses, cottages, etc.). Therefore, the growth in the volume of suburban construction seems to be a promising trend for the market this year, and possibly in subsequent years as well.

In March 2021 a new government program for providing preferential mortgage loans is expected to be launched. Mortgages at 7% are a long-awaited tool to revive Ukraine’s construction market and reduce the cost of housing loans. Developers say affordable lending could increase home sales by at least 10%.

Commercial

The commercial real estate sector in Ukraine had a significant blow due to the lockdown:  rising vacancies, dropping rental rates, and new construction works still being postponed.

Retail

Retail was the first to be hit by the spring 2020 lockdown as many shops and malls were closed. In November 2020, there was a so-called ‘weekend lockdown’ in effect, while a full lockdown occurred from January 8 to 24, 2021. During the lockdown consumer demand fell sharply, but then it recovered quickly. The NBU (National Bank of Ukraine) estimates that the pandemic-related crisis hit this segment less than it did offices as it was boosted by rising incomes and the quarantine flexibility (the entertainment segment was hit hard, though). Vacancy rates in the market rose by 5.4pp, and the average daily traffic in shopping centers sank by 25%-40%. In large cities of Ukraine, new supply in 2020 was about 113.5 thousand sqm. GLA, and even more shopping centers are planned to be completed in 2021-2022. This year, for instance, at least three shopping and entertainment centers are to open in Kiev (​​147.5 thousand sqm. GLA) and two in Kharkiv (122 thousand sqm GLA), among others.

Office

Offices were hammered by the pandemic, which led to a drop in rates to 10% in total in the first half of 2020. The balance of supply and demand will likely deteriorate in the near future. At the end of 2019, developers announced to release a significant volume of new supply for 2020 (about 230 thousand sqm). However, by end 2020, the real indicator of new supply was 105 thousand sqm, and completion dates for the rest was postponed to 2021-2022. Only 49% of the total office space announced for 2020 was completed last year. Now supply exceeds demand, but the situation will likely change if business activity in Ukraine revives after the pandemic subsides.

Hotel

The nearly 70% decline in passenger traffic at airports caused a decrease in hotel occupancy to the level of 15%-20% during the strict lockdown and to the level of 30%-35% in the laxer period. (For comparison, in the pre-quarantine period it was 53%). Thus, new formats had to be introduced, so an office/co-working component or service apartments were added to the hotel function.

Industry

Growth in online commerce in the pandemic increased demand for warehouses, making this segment the most resilient in the current crisis. In the long term, a decrease in vacancy and an increase in rental rates for warehouse and industrial premises are expected due to hiked demand, limited supply and the small number of projects under construction.

Ukraine C-19 situation in construction (status on 23 April 2020)

Posted on by efalucskai

Written by Sergii Zapototskyi – UVECON, EECFA Ukraine

Physical restrictions

  • On 12 March, the Cabinet of Ministers officially quarantined the entire territory of Ukraine for three weeks due to COVID-19, with a number of restrictive measures, mainly for educational institutions and some on air traffic and border crossing at most checkpoints in Ukraine.
  • On April 6, in order to combat the spread of COVID-19, the government introduced additional restrictions prohibiting being in public places without a face mask, going out without identification documents, being outside in groups of more than two persons, visiting parks, squares, recreation areas (except for walking pets for one person), going out to sports grounds and playgrounds, visiting social security institutions and the like; catering, shopping and entertainment centres, fitness centres, and cultural institutions. The quarantine introduced by the government was to expire on April 24 but owing to the sharp increase recorded in the number of COVID-19 cases (especially after the Easter holidays) the quarantine has been extended until 11 May 2020.

Construction works

  • Even though there is no direct ban on construction, there are several restrictions. According to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and WHO, as well as according to the orders of the Cabinet of Ministers, main restrictions refer to the recommended number of people per square meter of area at construction sites, and the requirement to provide workers with personal protective equipment and antiseptics. Traditionally, employees are instructed on these requirements.
  • Of course, not all construction work can be carried out in full with these significant quarantine restrictions, but developers try to meet the deadlines for delivering their projects.
  • There is a difficulty in the supply of building materials and the delivery of construction crews.

The new EECFA Ukraine Construction Forecast Report is planned to be issued on 29 June 2020. Sample report and order

Anticovid measures in construction

There are no direct measures to support the construction sector, but indirect protectionist measures include a moratorium on conducting tax audits, postponement of filing declarations, and the prohibition for commercial banks to raise interest rates under the loan agreements for the duration of the quarantine.

Factors limiting the construction sector’s performance

  • Construction has not yet been hit hard as it is a long-term business, but if the situation drags on until June, the market might stagnate.
  • The construction market in Ukraine faces two key challenges: 1) economic deterioration that derives from the inefficient management (and not from COVID-19) but is aggravating the already difficult economic situation associated with the virus; 2) the instability associated with a pandemic. As now no one can predict how long the quarantine will last, most participants in the real estate market are on standby. Investors do not spend, except for primary needs, until the situation becomes clear. In addition, there is the uncertainty of what will happen to the global economy which may continue to decline even after overcoming the pandemic.
  • As the active construction season usually begins in April, developers, to the extent of their financial resources and available materials, are trying to continue construction by isolating construction sites and taking security measures. This applies to both building residential and commercial real estate.
  • Companies interviewed by LIGA.net (leaders in the construction market such as Integral-Bud, Kievgorstroy, KAN Development, SAGA Development, Perfect Group, UDP) assure that they have enough finances to continue working at all facilities. However, this is not the case for medium and small construction companies. The latter need working capital and the possibility of obtaining preferential loans. If the pandemic drags on for a long time, this will hit housing construction in the first place because in Ukraine it is largely financed by buyers of future apartments. Residential complexes under construction that are queuing can freeze the construction of subsequent ones with only current ones being completed.
  • Commercial real estate is built as a long-term investment by developers and is based on longer-term financial models, making it less vulnerable to the temporary restrictive measures. But it is more dependent on global economic changes that affect the financial condition of investors. Also, much more imported materials are used in commercial real estates than in housing construction, so the restoration of production in Europe and the world will influence the continued construction of office and shopping centers in Ukraine. The appreciation of the US dollar has already led to an increase in the price of imported materials, and thus we should expect a price rise in domestic ones. Metal suppliers are already raising prices, for example. European building material producers are expected to increase prices after the end of quarantine measures in their countries. Construction companies need money to pay off their current obligations before starting to work again. Therefore, many developers in Ukraine are already looking for the possibility of borrowing at a subsidized 5%-7% interest rate for the entire construction period – 1.5-2 years.
  • Civil engineering had grandiose plans for the current year, but they are becoming increasingly unrealistic due to a significant lack of funds for financing.

Ukraine’s housing market prospects: up or down?

Posted on by efalucskai

Ukraine used to have an acute housing problem owing to the lack of effective social policy in the housing sector, aggravated by the low level of housing provision in Ukraine and its relatively high cost. During the past few years, the growth in the volume of housing construction, mainly in large cities and in their suburbs, has made significant adjustments to the market, though. Given the historically high need for housing and a number of existing conditions for growth in this market, there has been significant progress in the development of the housing sector.

Written by Sergii Zapototskyi – UVECON, EECFA Ukraine

Tetris Hall Residential Complex, Kiev. Source: http://tetrishall.com.ua

Housing market situation

Since 2015, the market has grown quite significantly for a number of reasons. First of all, due to the sharp devaluation of the national currency when the best option not to lose one’s money was to purchase a residential real estate. This process accelerated the crisis of the banking system. The lion’s share of the money that Ukrainians paid to developers was taken into banks where they were on deposits with fairly high interest rates. Another problem was providing housing for internal migrants, soldiers and their families, and the like. Customers tended to choose dwellings in new buildings where, when buying, the prices were more acceptable, and when selling, they could stick to their positions. Under such conditions, the housing market began to grow, including the primary one.

More details on Ukrainian housing market trends can be found in the EECFA Forecast Report Ukraine that can be purchased here.

In fact, this growth was driven primarily by the increase in large cities and their suburbs. In Kiev, the year 2013 registered about 130 newly constructed buildings, while in 2015 around 220 residential buildings were built. In 2016, already 290 such buildings were built, whereas at the beginning of 2018 there are more than 330. Within the Kiev region, the figures are somewhat smaller, though the trends are very close. Although five years ago Lviv lacked sufficient new residential buildings and there were only few construction sites, today there are approximately two hundred sites. The situation is similar in Odessa, where there are now almost one hundred and fifty new residential buildings. In Kharkov, there are approximately a hundred new buildings, almost 70 in Dnieper.

Thus, we can observe a growth in construction volumes, and consequently, a rise in the commissioning of housing in these regions. Kiev region remains a leader in housing put into use, accounting for 35% of all housing put into use in this region. This attracts investors due to lower housing prices and the fast transport access to the capital city Kiev. In 2017, the share in Kiev region is 18%, and in Kiev city, another 17%. In the capital city in 2017, only holding company Kyivmiskbud commissioned more than 300 thousand square meters of housing. In 2018, the company plans to put into use at least seven new facilities on around 450 thousand square meters.

The dynamics in housing put into use in Kiev region shows considerable input volumes when compared to other regions. Thus, over the past 10 years, in Kiev region (Kiev city + Kiev agglomeration), 28 million square meters of housing was put into use, Continue reading Ukraine’s housing market prospects: up or down?