The study on the housing for migration and refugees was conducted in the period 2016-2020 by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The report provides a collection of best practices and illustrates that adequate housing both assists migrant integration and helps foster local communities and economies. The study also highlights the importance of cities and local administrations in housing provision.

Photo: ©Cecil Batac/UNECE

Some of the key points and highlights include:

• Housing can be made available by renovating vacant homes in depopulated and decaying urban neighbourhoods
• Rural area depopulation could be alleviated by providing housing for migrants and refugees
• Developing shared public spaces and activities to encourage the interactions between local communities and newcomers is key
• Developing long-term, sustainable and inexpensive housing is possible through good housing construction and maintenance practices 
• Innovative architectural design helps provide cheaper but high-quality, modular prefabricated housing 
• Generating additional resources for housing is possible through partnerships between governments, non-governmental organisations and the private sector 

See also a previous EWSI analysis providing a snapshot on the housing situation of migrants in the EU.