Homeless shelter removed from building basement in Rivne, Ukraine

A homeless shelter that had operated in the basement of No. 15 Caucasus Street in Rivne was closed and cleared on July 7, 2020, when officials from the state executive service arrived to enforce the move. Neighbors of the building had complained for some time about the shelter’s location, and the charity that ran it asked that the homeless people using it not be displaced without anywhere else to go.

According to the reporting, the agreement under which the foundation used the space had expired. The building is owned by the Rivne City Council, and the rental term ended in 2013. The council issued a discharge decision in 2016. The director of the foundation, Sano Hukayan, asked for mercy for the people using the shelter and requested time to find them another place, so the shelter was not moved at that point.

On July 7, executives came to the basement door. The head of the Rivne City Division of the State Executive Service, Natalie Ischuk, said the occupants had been told in advance that forced removal would take place that day if they did not leave voluntarily. When officials arrived, a guard and another person were present and came out. The officials offered to move the people to a shelter on Giolio-Quuri street, which Ischuk described as having terrible conditions, including damp, raw walls with mold.

The reporting also said the city council’s communal property department stated that it had answered a proposal for the shelter’s continued use with a yes. However, the foundation did not receive that answer in time, and the shelter was not moved in an orderly way. The people were removed without another building being provided.

The 289-square-meter basement has been returned to the city council.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Ukrainian)