1. Cash for Rent
Writing SoHSS I realised that we have different understanding of what CfR should and could be – assumption that we are all talking about the same thing
Field colleagues do not have the know-how to do CfR and are encourage by Donors, Management and HO
No specific guidance on how to do CfR

2. Occupancy free of charge - OFC
Rent-reduction
Cash for Rent
Tenure Security
Monetization
CASH FOR RENT
Multi-Purpose Cash
Rent-free
Cash for Shelter
Occupancy free of charge - OFC

3. Cash transferred to beneficiaries to pay rent
Cash transferred to Landlords to pay rent
Free Rent – Occupancy Free of Charge
Free Reduction
Cash transferred to beneficiaries to pay rent
Conditional
MPC
Cash transferred to landlords
CfR
MBI
Rent free – Occupancy free of Charge (OfC)
Shelter upgrade in exchange of free rent
Rent reduction

4. Observations CfR as emergency / temporary / transitional
CfR for the most vulnerable
CfR achieve safe, adequate appropriate shelter
Tenure Security - bilateral or tri-partite agreement
Tenure Security - landlord / beneficiary / agency
CfR for population in transit
MPC – for rent
Companion programming
When do we deliver CfR and what are the impact of the different ways of doing it on the outcome and impact
When do we ensure SoT / if CfR in emergency through MPC it is unlikely that we will ensure SoT /
What is the minimum standard at what phase and for what outcome?
How can we make sure CfR responds to the need of the most vulnerable – what are the tools, implementation approaches required
CfR may respond to different needs – population in transit (Greece – stay max 3months – what are the implication on the type of agreement, the maintenance, etc)
Different types of tenure arrangement – landlord with agency / landlord with beneficiary
What are the implication of MPC intended to cover rent?
Companion Programming - is the provision of technical ‘soft programming’ support to recipients of MPC distributions

5. Assumptions Existing Rental Market Assessment tools
Cash is easier modality of implementation
Dissemination of lessons learned, reports, position papers, recommendations
Cash for rent is the go-to urban modality
Provision vs Contribution
Maintenance issues
Existing Rental Market Assessment tools – there is no market assessment tool, we are currently adapting other commodity tools but are these able to respond to the flexibility and informality of rental markets? – very often there is no market assessment done prior to proposal writing, there is an assumption that the markets can respond….
Cash is easier modality of implementation – very often I have seen CO developing CBI assuming it would be quicker and more effective than other in-kind approaches - Timeframe – lead-time for CfR distribution
Shelter teams have read all lessons learned, reports, position papers, recommendations….. and have the cash know-how
Cash for rent is the go-to urban modality
Provision vs Contribution
Maintenance issues

6. Impact ? What is this impact on our beneficiaries ?
What are the shelter outcomes?
What method is most appropriate? And When?
what are the minimum standards for monitoring shelter outcomes when it come to MPC – used for rent / CfR / Free rent / OfC?

7. What is too much Cash ? When is it not enough?
How do we balance provision to support – as an enablers or a facilitator to access shelter?
PDMs especially when MPC often look at beneficiary satisfaction only
We wanted access to washing machines
Access to wifi
Not enough furnishing
Not enough to pay for utility bill
Debt
Negative coping mechanism
How do we balance beneficiary satisfaction with technical minimum requirements / standards

8. Food for thought Cash for Rent is Giving cash to landlord
Market based intervention
Cash for Rent is not
Giving cash to beneficiaries (even when conditional tenure)
MPC
Cash people are saying: …..
Do you agree?
The Shelter Sector needs to drive these discussion and establish what is and what is not CfR

9. Challenges Rental Market Assessment
Beneficiary contribution in CfR – utility bills / Maintenance
Minimum Standards (sqm, furnishing, appliances…)
Monitoring
Skills required for CfR
Out of many other
The challenges include: Rental Market Assessment
How do we get beneficiary contribution on CfR – utility bills? Maintenance? – when/ how / when population in transit and how no income it is impossible to get them to pay bills / maintenance in Greece – lack of ownership /
What is the minimum furnishing/ washing machine/ wifi / how far should we go ?
What should be the role of the monitoring visits?
What is the profile of people we are looking for when we do CfR – engineers? Economist? Analist? Antropologist? Social Worker? Housing experts? Architect?

10. Learning MPC – wider reach quicker to implement
Impact on market and on beneficiary (– /+)
Cash alone is not enough
Security of tenure
Conditional/restricted – better shelter impact
Companion programming
MPC – wider reach than conditional / restrictied CfR
Impact on beneficiaries and markets evidence is weak
PDMs show
Lebanon MPG – show debt reduction so reduction of negative coping mechanism but does not show any shelter outcome / although we know that some times over 88% of the MPCG is used for rent (ie. Shelter )#
MPC does not avoid overcrowding, and people living in low quality shelters
How do we define adequate /safe shelter in a CfR response
Reduction in eviction and involuntary returns when there is SoT
Quality of shelter increased when restrictions are in place
Cash alone is not enough and needs to be accompanied by technical support
For CfR SoT is essential – but how realistic is it to do this at the early stage of a response?

11. Cash for Rent WG ?
To develop a common understanding on what is CfR, what is the minimum standard approach, when can MPC support CfR programming
Develop best practice guidance for the sector
Practical tools for our field team
Market assessment
Implementation approach
Decision making