Planning the future of Ukrainian cities today is extremely challenging. Yet without planning, there can be no recovery, no investment, and no opportunity to emerge from the crisis on stronger footing. The Odesa City Community has become the first in Ukraine to develop an updated Development Strategy until 2027 in an open format — engaging experts, international partners, businesses, civic activists, and youth.

The Green Book and White Book documents, which will form the foundation of the future strategy, were developed within the project “Transformational Recovery for Human Security in Ukraine”, funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNDP. The project addresses critical areas: infrastructure recovery, mine action, support for affected populations, debris removal, economic revitalization, and human capital development.

For the first time — a genuine dialogue format

The strategy is being developed openly rather than behind closed doors, with participation from:

• municipal departments,
• civil society organizations,
• the private sector,
• experts also involved in national-level strategic planning.

This approach remains rare for Ukrainian cities, yet it is precisely what enables meaningful and sustainable change.

Housing stock as a critical challenge

Odesa’s housing crisis is systemic and clearly reflected in strategic documents:

• 9.9% of multi-apartment buildings (901 buildings) are dilapidated or unsafe;
• over 800 buildings were damaged by the war as of early 2025;
• there are no programs for social or municipal housing;
• chaotic development and related conflicts have intensified land scarcity within city limits;
• the city still lacks a coordinated spatial development strategy.

These figures represent everyday reality for residents and form the baseline for any effective renovation policy.

Solution vectors identified during strategic sessions

The discussions outlined several priority directions that can already inform future programs:

• development of a comprehensive renovation program for outdated housing stock, with clear tools for municipalities, investors, and residents;
• sustainable construction standards, including energy efficiency, accessibility, and climate adaptation;
• attraction of international grants for the restoration of damaged housing;
• mobilization of private investment for renovation and redevelopment projects;
• building an adaptive strategy with clearly defined priorities and objectives.

DOMOVA’s role in this process

DOMOVA works directly with one of the city’s most pressing challenges — obsolete and unsafe housing that cannot be addressed through isolated interventions.

Our model fills a long-standing systemic gap by enabling:

• consolidation of all building owners,
• creation of transparent investment assets,
• preparation of legal frameworks,
• investor search within a competitive market environment.

DOMOVA operates at the intersection of community, municipal, and business interests — aligning closely with Odesa’s strategic vision. Transparent processes allow dilapidated buildings to be transformed from liabilities into viable assets within urban renovation programs.

Strategy is not about documents — it’s about direction

Today, Odesa is establishing the framework for future decisions: vision, goals, and development vectors.
In 2026, these approaches will be tested in practice.
By 2027, they are expected to function in a harmonized manner.

For the first time, this process is being shaped collectively — by the city, the community, business, and experts.
DOMOVA will continue to contribute, as housing renovation requires systemic, scalable solutions.

*On December 11, 2025, Odesa hosted the presentation and public discussions of the Green Book and the White Book for the development of the Odesa City Territorial Community Development Strategy until 2027.