Investigation

Rent in times of Displacement: Draining people’s savings

Based on the current state of the rental market and an analysis of a sample of rental units, we question the possibility of completely abolishing rent at this stage, so that the displaced, who have lost their homes, livelihoods, and jobs due to the war, are not forced to exhaust their remaining savings to pay rent, but rather the state takes its responsibility to provide them with free shelter.

 About Abd el Baqi building in Hamra:

squatting to reclaim the city’s social role

The right to the city is an application of the right to ​​access housing and city spaces, through the recognition of the importance of the space’s social role. Today, a number of displaced people are trying to apply the concepts of the right to the city and housing by taking possession of an abandoned building in Hamra. About a month ago, the owner of the building sent an eviction request to the public prosecutor. The eviction didn’t take place, but by narrating the threat and the building’s story, we hope to open a discussion about squatting, the priorities that drive such an issue, and the balance of power it reveals, especially since squatting has become a necessity and a reality during the war.

May school in Tripoli: A Model of the Syrian Housing Tragedy during War

The emergency plan approved by the Lebanese government in response to the recent Israeli war on Lebanon excluded non-Lebanese displaced persons, especially Syrian refugees, from relief and shelter centers. In this report, we review the situation in May Public School in Tripoli as an example of the tragedy of Syrian housing in the war to highlight the urgent need for comprehensive shelter policies and protection for all displaced communities.

Eviction in the war: Protecting Private Property, the Case of Hildon Hotel

Once again, we document the story of an abandoned building, the “Hildon Hotel” in Raouche, where around 600 displaced people, fleeing the Israeli war, sought refuge. Though the hotel owner’s son initially allowed them to stay, he later demanded their eviction, forcing them to leave without alternative housing. This case highlights the urgent need for government intervention, calling for the use of vacant properties as temporary housing and ensuring evictions follow legal procedures with suitable alternatives provided.

The Right to Housing: Immediate Measures for Providing Equitable Shelter

By October 2024, over 1.3 million people had been displaced in Lebanon as a result of the Israeli war. Despite the urgent need for state-led relief, the government’s efforts have largely fallen short, …

Map of Israeli Attacks on Lebanon 2023

For over 300 days, the war on Lebanon’s southern fronts has ravaged 184 towns, claiming more than 466 lives, including about 108 civilians of which children, refugees, journalists, and aid workers.  As a …

The eviction of 1000+ residents from Al Waha Compound in Deddeh: On the tragedy of the housing of Syrians in Lebanon

Between May 19 and 20, 2024, news spread about the eviction of Al Waha Compound in Deddeh (Koura District, North Lebanon), which had been home to around 2,000 Syrian refugees for years. In …

Bourj Hammoud: media incitement, the municipality’s statement, and residents’ testimonies

Around two months ago, a video went viral showing a group of Lebanese men on motorcycles announcing a “warning deadline” to Syrians to vacate Bourj Hammoud via loudspeakers, causing widespread concern on social …

Genocide and Media:

Killing Journalism and Distorting the Narrative

Since the start of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza in October 7, 2023, the media has been a tool used by the occupation to obscure and distort the truth in order to …

The Earthquake that wasn’t:

What if the 50s earthquake had hit Lebanon last year?

A year has passed since the earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, while its waves reverberated as far as Macedonia, Greece, Lebanon and Palestine. In Lebanon, the state dealt with the …

The Black Cloud over Kfour town:

How Urban Planning Produces an Environmental Disaster.

Twelve years ago, the suffering of the people of Kfour town began. In the town, located within Nabatieh District, factories and plants of all kinds are spread, from quarries, stone mills, asphalt plants, …

Timeline of Official Decisions, Draft Laws, and Raids Against Syrian Refugees 

During the past year, the number of political statements asserting that the armed conflict in Syria has ended has increased, calling for Syrian refugees to submit to the “voluntary return” plan proposed by …