The Way Forward To Reforms In The Housing Sector: Empowering Grass-Root Homeowners Associations In Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, And Ukraine

Project goal

Empower grass-root homeowners associations in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine; improve housing management and promote energy efficiency refurbishment of residential buildings in the partner countries through the establishment of 10 resource centers.

Project objectives

• Promote housing management and energy-efficient refurbishment, as well as barrier-free living in multi-story apartment buildings;
• Identify limitations and opportunities related to the implementation of energy-efficient measures in the housing stock in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine;
• Support national housing reforms and strengthen the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) as watchdogs;
• Implement capacity-building measures via training, workshops, seminars and study tours;
• Improve professionalism, organizational as well as institutional capacities of civil society organizations in order to respond to calls for proposals;
• Improve interaction among civil society organizations and government bodies at national, regional and local levels;
• Encourage civil society organizations to actively participate in policy-making processes promoting ideas of multi-level participatory governance and enabling housing associations to become key stakeholders in development planning;
• Strengthen cooperation among German and other international organizations.

Besides, through resource centers

• Raise knowledge and awareness of citizens on issues related to property rights of homeowners that are basic principles of establishment and operation of homeowners associations (HOAs);
• Conduct seminars and training on issues related to establishment and operation of HOAs;
• Provide daily consultations through the “hotline”
Conducting educational activities for accountants;
• Assist HOAs in arranging and conducting meetings and, if necessary, participate in such meetings;
• Provide individual consultancy to citizens and educate them on-site;
• Join efforts of the Government, non-governmental organizations, and HOAs to elaborate recommendations for changes in legislation;
• Disseminate best practices in partner cities of HOAs;
• Promote cooperation with international foundations and organizations in partner cities thus encouraging the provision of organizational and financial assistance for the development of HOAs.

Donors and Partners

European Union;

Ukraine – Lviv housing owners and residential real estate managers Association Foundation for support of homeowners’ associations”, Charkiv

Azerbaijan – Property Market Participants – Public Union

Georgia – Local Democracy Agency Georgia

Civil Society Institute Batumi Branch

Charity Humanitarian Centre “Abkhazeti” Tbilisi Branch Office

Moldova – Institute for Urban Development

Belarus – International NGO “Ecoproject”

International Association for Real Estate Management

Associated partners

Lviv Regional branch of all Ukrainian organization “Union of disabled people of Ukraine”

Contact persons

Johann Strese
Tel: +49 3020605487
strese@iwoev.org

Larissa Schreckenbach
Tel: +49 3020605487
schreckenbach@iwoev.org

Project coordination

Housing Initiative for Eastern Europe (IWO), Berlin

Project coverage

Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine

Project timelines:

2015-01-31 – 2018-01-30

Project Manager

Natia Apkhazava (Georgian side)