Ukraine’s Ministry for Communities and Territories Development launched a new phase of Ukraine’s “eRecovery” housing program on Friday, May 1, to let displaced veterans reserve government funds for new homes.
This initiative is a part of the government’s effort to support citizens who fled occupied territories for safer regions, specifically for Ukrainian troops who lost their property.
The first stage of the program focuses on internally displaced persons (IDPs) from temporarily occupied territories who hold the status of combat veterans or individuals with war-related disabilities.
“The government has already allocated Hr. 6.6 billion ($146.67 million) to finance this program,” Oleksiy Kuleba, vice prime minister for restoration and minister for communities and territories development, was quoted as saying in a press release.
“This will provide housing for approximately 3,300 families who lost their homes in occupied areas,” he added.
How the voucher system works
The primary tool for this support is the housing voucher, a state-guaranteed document confirming funding for a property up to Hr.2 million (around $45,500).
These vouchers are generated automatically following commission approval and recorded in the Registry of Damaged and Destroyed Property.
According to the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, the reservation process follows a specific logic where recipients with approved applications first reserve funds via the Diia app – Ukraine’s key state-developed app for state services.
These reservations are then processed through an automated electronic queue based on the exact date and time of submission. Once funds are successfully reserved, the applicant has a 60-day window to finalize a purchase agreement with a notary, allowing them to purchase an apartment or house, invest in ongoing construction, or partially repay a housing loan.
If the funds are not used within the 60-day window, they return to the government to be redistributed to the next person in line, though the original applicant may reapply.
While the voucher remains valid for five years, the property purchased through the program cannot be sold or transferred during that same five-year period.