On January 18, 2016, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Chairman of the Tbilisi City Assembly and the Tbilisi Mayor with a recommendation to plan the strategy for adequate housing of homeless people so that to ensure registration of every homeless person/family and provision of housing for them on the basis of equality.

According to the resolution of 27 November 2015 of the Tbilisi City Assembly, preference is given to the residents of the former military hospital of Isani and the block of flats in the Tbilisi Sea district during the consideration of the social housing of the Orkhevi residents.

The Public Defender held that the Tbilisi City Assembly failed to prove the grounds for granting the mentioned preference. According to the recommendation, solutions to the problem should not create false expectations for a vulnerable group. It is necessary for the state to realize that proper housing planning plays a major role in the elimination of homelessness, while the lack of effective policy against homelessness may stimulate and strengthen the social segregation, which in turn may lead to a long-term inequality.

The Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Tbilisi City Assembly and City Hall with a recommendation to observe the principle of equality during providing social housing for the Orkhevi residents and to carry out an active information campaign about similar social programs in the future in order to provide information to all stakeholders.