eviction

Statement

Open the Empty Buildings – Public and Private- and Apply Rent Control

Thousands of displaced families are sleeping on the Corniche sidewalks, the beach, and in public squares, left without shelter. This situation is a direct result of the government’s shortcomings in its plan to accommodate the growing number of displaced people, exacerbated by Israel’s orders to evacuate more than 80 towns in the south and all of southern Beirut.

We are here to reiterate the following options for effectively responding to the escalating displacement crisis, in light of the evolving security situation and the imperative to guarantee the right to housing, which is being violated on an unprecedented scale during wars.

Law Commentary

Two Complementary Draft Laws to Strengthen the Right to Housing

On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, MP Halima Al-Qaqour, along with a number of MPs, submitted two draft laws to the Speaker of Parliament. The first, an amendment to the old residential lease law, …

Investigation

Where is the Fund? On old tenants’ struggles with applications to the rent support fund

Field documentation reveals how misinformation and discretionary practices in public administrations have blocked old tenants from applying to the rent support fund and protecting their housing rights.

Legal Memo

How to protect my rights as an old tenant under the new law liberating non-residential lease contracts?

This legal memo aims to clarify the most prominent developments brought by the new law liberating non-residential lease contracts and to answer the fundamental questions that tenants may have during the transitional phase of its implementation.

Investigation

Removing encroachments from the Litani riverbed:

Water protection is a priority, but who protects the housing rights of the refugees?

The text reviews the Litani River Authority’s removal of what it classifies as “encroachments” along the river and the resulting pressures on Syrian displaced communities in the Beqaa. It highlights the tension between protecting water resources and safeguarding the housing rights of vulnerable groups.

Field Watch

Eviction of Camp “044” in Ghazzeh–Bekaa: Between Protecting the Litani and Undermining the Right to Housing

In September 2025, the Litani River Authority ordered the eviction and dismantling of Camp 044 in Ghazzeh, West Bekaa. Citing environmental violations and the need to remove encroachments from the river course, this action is part of a larger campaign targeting over 34 Syrian refugee camps. This text documents the eviction, its repercussions, and its impact on the fundamental right to housing.

Policy Watch

Green light to destroy Beirut’s theater:

The Ministry of Culture removes protection under pressure from the Shoura Council and the owner's threats

The Ministry of Culture delisted lot number 243 in the Ain Mreisseh district (Beirut) from the general inventory list of historical buildings is a striking decision. This contradiction raises questions about the motives behind the decision, specifically that the lot includes Beirut Theater.
In this article, we review the details of the property and previous attempts to protect it, revealing an alarming threat on the theater and the adjacent buildings.

Legal Memo

How Can I Protect My Rights as an Old Rent Tenant Amid a Suspended Law and Ongoing Crises? A Legal and Practical Guide

Are you an old rent tenant at risk of eviction? Learn how to protect your housing rights under Law No. 2/2017 and navigate Lebanon’s suspended rent system.

Narrative

 The New Rent Law Threatens to Dissolve a Neighborhood: The Eviction of a Building in Burj Hammoud

In Burj Hammoud, old tenants face eviction from their decade-long homes as Lebanon’s old rent law nears its end. Their story reveals the legal gaps in law 2/2017 and how unaffordable rents threaten entire communities.

Law Commentary

Periodic Renewal of New Occupancy Permits: Overlooking the Deterioration of the Existing Urban Fabric

The draft law to set the newly issued occupancy permit duration at ten years—renewable every five years to ensure the structural integrity of buildings and maintain public safety—while seemingly well-intentioned, overlooks the immediate danger posed by thousands of aging and structurally unsound structures and the effects of urban decay, and offers a narrow and insufficient response to Lebanon’s broader urban crisis.

Study

The New rent Law: Active in Theory, Suspended in Practice

This article uses jurisprudence and legal opinions to argue that the2014 new rent law and its amendment in 2017 are inapplicable due to the absence of its essential implementation mechanisms. It highlights how courts and experts have affirmed the law’s current legal vacuum and its consequences on tenants’ rights.

Investigation

Housing Challenges in the Post-War Period: What Is Happening?

The recent war exposed Lebanon’s fragile housing sector, creating urgent challenges like soaring rents, lack of temporary housing, and forced displacement of vulnerable groups. Without clear policies and inclusive strategies, reconstruction risks deepening inequalities and undermining the right to secure, dignified housing.