Councillors in Mykolaiv did not support the allocation of land for modular homes for internally displaced persons
-
- Alona KokhanchukReporter
Modular homes funded by Danish partners in Domanivka. Photo: NikVestiMembers of the Mykolaiv City Council did not support the decision to allocate a plot of land on Bohoiavlenskyi Avenue to the municipal enterprise «Svii Dim» for the implementation of a project to build modular houses.
The issue was considered at a session of the Mykolaiv City Council on 30 June, according to NikVesti.
The plot in question covers an area of almost 3.6 hectares on Bohoiavlenskyi Avenue in the Korabelnyi district of Mykolaiv. The municipal enterprise «Svii Dim» planned to grant permission to draw up a land-use plan, with a view to subsequently transferring this land to the enterprise for permanent use. Serhii Korenev, Deputy Mayor of Mykolaiv, is coordinating communications with the partners planning to build the homes.
Initially, the draft resolution was put to a vote without a report or discussion. However, it did not receive the required number of votes: 10 councillors voted «for», 2 «against» and 18 «abstained».
Following the unsuccessful vote, the mayor, Oleksandr Sienkevych, asked for a report on the substance of the matter.
According to the rules of procedure, this was to be presented by the city’s chief architect, Yevhen Poliakov, but he is currently on leave. Instead, Ihor Nabatov, deputy director of the Department of Housing and Communal Services, explained that there is a memorandum in place between the city and the Danish organisation GAU Fonden regarding the implementation of a project to install five modular homes on a plot of land to be provided by the city authorities.
«In the first phase, the plan is to house IDPs there. And in the second phase, once hostilities have ended and IDPs as such no longer exist, the site will be converted into social housing. It will be owned by the Mykolaiv territorial community. One of GAU Fonden’s conditions is that it cannot be privatised or sold off,» said Ihor Nabatov.
In turn, councillor Olena Kiseliova noted that the municipal enterprise «Svii Dim» is currently undergoing reorganisation, so, in her view, it is illogical to grant the enterprise the right to register the land plot.
«It is illogical to grant permission to draw up a land-use plan to an enterprise that is presumably undergoing reform, and for reasons that are unclear. I am not opposed to the allocation of land, the construction of modular homes, or the fact that they would be owned by the territorial community. But «Svii Dim» replied to me today that they cannot manage social housing for the very same reasons. I therefore doubt that they are the appropriate body to handle this matter,» the councillor remarked.
She was supported by councillor Hanna Remennikova. She pointed out that the municipal enterprise «Svii Dim» is ceasing operations due to its transformation into the limited liability company «Svoia Domivka», so, in her view, this issue will have to be resubmitted for consideration.
«There is absolutely no point in us voting now to allocate the land to «Svii Dim»,» said the councillor.
Deputy Fedir Panchenko also noted that the deputies had not seen the memorandum and were unaware of the details of the project.
«As far as we’re concerned, it looks like this: just give the land to the municipal enterprise. Now that problems have arisen with the vote, we’re being told that, as it turns out, there is some sort of memorandum. What stage is it at? What about the funding? We know nothing,» the councillor remarked.
In response, Ihor Nabatov explained that «Svoia Domivka» Ltd would become the legal successor to the «Svii Dim» municipal enterprise, so there would be no legal issues with implementing the project.
«There are, in fact, no legal issues regarding any matters that may arise in the future,» he remarked.
The councillors were also interested in why another plot of land — on Oleh Olzhych Street — had not been considered for the project. In response, Ihor Nabatov explained that the site had been selected jointly by the Department of Architecture, the Land Resources Management Department and the Department of Housing and Communal Services, taking into account the requirements of the Danish organisation.
«As for the plot of land that was proposed, this was a joint decision involving the Department of Architecture, the Land Resources Administration and the Department of Housing and Communal Services. First of all, we asked the Land Resources Office to identify which plot of land would be most suitable, taking into account the specific requirements outlined by GAU Fonden. The road near the plot is in satisfactory condition. We went out there, documented this and sent the information to GAU Fonden so that they would have a clear understanding of its condition,» said Ihor Nabatov.
Following the discussion, Oleksandr Sienkevych stated that he saw no need to put the matter to a fresh vote during this session. According to him, the draft resolution will be resubmitted to the councillors for consideration at the next plenary session.
It should be recalled that in November 2024, work began in Mykolaiv on establishing a municipal housing fund and a utility company to manage it. According to the mayor, Oleksandr Sienkevych, this should help provide housing for internally displaced persons and other socially vulnerable groups. The city plans to build municipal housing, part of which will be let at market rates and part at subsidised rates.
On 13 October 2025, a cooperation agreement was signed in Hanover between the German company hanova and the municipal enterprise «Svii Dim» regarding the management and letting of council housing.
In November 2025, the city authorities announced that they were working on three social housing projects. In addition to the initiative with GAU Fonden, negotiations are ongoing with two further investors – one commercial and one social. The GAU Fonden project in the Pivnichnyi neighbourhood is considered to be the most advanced.
In January 2026, the city council announced that Danish investors plan to build up to 10,000 flats in Mykolaiv. Some of these will be handed over to the city as social housing, whilst the investor will manage the remainder independently. A memorandum to this effect was signed by Oleksandr Sienkevych and VK Investments Ukraine, which represents the Vaekstkapital Group. The first phase involves the construction of 200 flats.
