Housing, Land, and Property Documentation in the South of Lebanon: A Rapid Needs Assessment

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The escalation of hostilities in Lebanon during and after September 2024 led to severe destruction, affecting approximately 100,000 housing units and resulting in an estimated USD 3.2 billion in damages, according to the World Bank. This research assesses the impact of the renewed conflict on housing, land and property (HLP) documentation—specifically, the ownership and condition of these records. It examines whether these records were lost or destroyed, and how this loss affects internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) ability to rebuild their lives. The study also explores stakeholder perspectives on the role of the humanitarian community in addressing these challenges, and the potential risks to social stability arising from unclear property boundaries in areas that were completely destroyed.

A qualitative methodology was used, involving focus group discussions (FGDs) with affected populations and legal practitioners, as well as key informant interviews (KIIs) with government stakeholders in South Lebanon from February to March 2025. KIIs were conducted with local authorities and relevant State entities. Thematic analysis was applied to identify patterns and key findings, and legal experts provided insights into documentation challenges and potential solutions.

Key findings are as follows:

1. Participants from affected communities lived in houses directly owned by them or a family member prior to displacement.

2. Most IDP households interviewed whose houses were destroyed also lost HLP documentation.

3. Inconsistent land surveying by State authorities and erasure of boundaries could lead to potential land disputes.

4. Participants had varying degrees of information about the processes to restore missing HLP documentation, often expressing contradicting views.

5. Participants expressed different views on the need for legal and financial support. While some believed they could recover documents independently, others requested support from key stakeholders in their communities, including Mukhtars and municipalities.

6. HLP issues were typically managed by men, with both women and men reporting that women had limited access to information on ownership documentation.

7. Damage of State facilities hinders the capacity to process administrative requests, including those related to documentation.

8. Secondary occupation did not take place during displacement.

9. Shelter reconstruction and rehabilitation, compensation, as well as the restoration of businesses were identified as community priorities.

This report proposes a set of recommendations to address the issues identified in this assessment. It also highlights the need to conduct a comprehensive HLP analysis in Lebanon to understand the challenges, gaps and opportunities of broader HLP rights following the escalation of hostilities, beyond access to HLP documentation.

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