Current Odesa development plan ignores the safety and needs of IDPs

The Green and White Papers, analytical documents that form the basis for the updated urban development strategy for 2026-2027, were discussed in Odesa.

On the air of Intent.Insight, Artem Vivdych, an expert on the restoration of territorial communities of the All-Ukrainian Association of UTCs, and Dmytro Kovbasyuk, founder of the School of Neighborhood Culture, explained why Odesa needs to update its strategic document, how it will affect funding, and what the vision of community development should be in wartime.

The documents have already been published on the city council's website, and anyone can join the consultations both online and in person. According to experts, many citizens underestimate the scale and importance of this process, although the updated strategy will actually determine which projects in Odesa will be funded in the coming years.

Artem Vivdych. PHOTO: Intent

Artem Vivdych emphasized that the strategy is not just a concept or a long text, but a formally binding document that determines the possibility of receiving funds from international donors. All programs of the European Union, the European Investment Bank, and the Ukraine Facility require that the project be included in the community development strategy.

If Odesa does not approve the updated version, the city will not be able to apply for funding, even if it submits a high-quality project. He noted that the city's internal budget will continue to work, but without access to international funds, Odesa will lose a significant portion of potential investments.

The expert also explained why updating the strategy has become urgent. Although the document is formally valid until 2027, it was created before the outbreak of a full-scale war and does not take into account the needs that arose after 2022. The current version contains almost no security projects, no programs for the development of a shelter network, and does not take into account the needs of internally displaced persons and changes in the city's economic structure. Under these conditions, the city cannot properly prioritize and justify the need to fund critical facilities.

Dmytro Kovbasyuk. PHOTO: Intent

Dmytro Kovbasyuk, who works with local communities, explained the importance of involving residents. In his opinion, the strategy should be clear and based on the real needs of the citizens. He compared the process to planning the development of a courtyard: residents know what they need - benches, a space for communication, lighting, or a playground. The same principle is used to formulate a city strategy, only on the scale of thousands of streets and hundreds of thousands of residents. That is why surveys, open meetings, and the opportunity for everyone to speak out - from public organizations to residents of high-rise buildings - are important.

The show also discussed the seven-year strategic planning cycle used in the European Union and adapted by Ukraine. Artem Vivdych explained that seven-year periods are a compromise that EU countries have reached by harmonizing national calendars, budget cycles, and election periods. This horizon allows for development planning beyond political cadences, so that large projects do not depend on who is in power. Ukraine has been using this model since 2015, and the current period will end in 2027, after which communities will have to prepare strategies for 2028-2034.

Valeriy Bolgan. PHOTO: Intent

The discussion of the Green and White Papers will continue in the coming days. Everyone can read the documents and leave their suggestions. Experts urged the citizens not to ignore the process, as community participation determines which decisions will be taken into account in the final version and which projects will be prioritized for Odesa in the coming years.

Recently, Odesa hosted a discussion on the process of recording war crimes in Ukraine and the structures responsible for it. The success of investigations largely depends on the proper legal documentation of evidence and close coordination with international partners.

Анна Бальчінос