The first meeting of the Steering Committee of the Regional Programme for refugee housing (RHP) was held on 30 November 2012. , in Paris, in the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). The meeting was attended by all committee members - representatives of donors, partner countries, the Secretariat of the CEB and the UNHCR and the OSCE. The delegation of the Republic of Serbia was led by Commissioner for Refugees Vladimir Cucić.

The meeting marks the beginning of the implementation of the Regional Programme for the housing of refugees and displaced persons in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia and internally displaced persons in Montenegro.

Regional Programme for refugee housing is a common long-term program which provides permanent housing solutions for over 24,000 of the most vulnerable displaced families (74,000 individuals) in the region. The program is based on the principles contained in the Sarajevo Declaration of 2005. and is the direct result of the Ministerial Conference on the durable solution of the problems of refugees and displaced persons held in Belgrade 2010. and the Joint Declaration to end displacement and provide durable solutions for vulnerable refugees and internally displaced persons, which was signed in 2011 by four foreign ministers of the participating countries. Declaration confirmed the commitment of the government to end the problems of refugees and displaced persons and the recovery of a dignified solution guaranteeing protection of the rights of refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons. In the beginning of 2012. the conditions were created for the donor conference in Sarajevo and for aid program that followed. The conference brought together major international donors who have provided significant funding which enabled the start of RHP in 2013.

Establishing a board RHP created the necessary prerequisites for the implementation of the Regional Operational Programme of housing for refugees and displaced persons. The Steering Committee will have a permanent co-chairman of the European Commission and representatives of one of the donors who will rotate each year.

The key body for coordinating activities was established in Bosnia and Herzegovina which relates to regional housing program, involving representatives of key institutions at the state and entity level in charge of displaced persons and refugees. Housing for a total of 5,400 families will be provided within RHP components of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This includes housing for 600 families of refugees from Croatia, both in group quarters, such as those residing in private, and the former holders of tenancy rights without housing solutions, then 2,400 housing solutions for vulnerable returnees in Bosnia and Herzegovina, currently residing in Croatia and Serbia and 2,400 housing solutions for vulnerable IDPs located outside of the collective centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The total project cost is 101 million euros, of which 15% share of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The program will be implemented for five years, and it is expected that the implementation of the first projects start in the first half of the 2013.

The RHP in Republic of Montenegro will be conducted through the National Housing Programme, which will be managed by the Government.  It is envisaged to provide the means to permanently solve the housing of 6,063 refugees and internally displaced persons (1,177 households) that are considered the most vulnerable - people accommodated in informal collective centers and vulnerable people living in private housing, with special emphasis the Konik. The program envisages the construction of 90 housing units, supply of building materials for the construction of 120 housing units, construction of 60 prefabricated houses and 90 units in a nursing home in Pljevlje. The total project cost is 27.7 million, of which 15% is provided by Montenegro so that the amount to be funded from grants is 23.5 million.

The RHP in Republic of Croatia will be implemented through the public housing program managed by the Ministry of Regional Development and EU funds. Croatias participation in the Regional Programme for housing is aimed at providing permanent housing solutions for the four categories of users: refugees living in collective centers or other forms of collective accommodation, vulnerable refugees or former holders of tenancy rights, vulnerable returnees who have settled permanently and other displaced persons accommodated in collective centers and private accommodation. Total number of 3,541 households (or 8,529 individuals). 

The holder of RHP in Republic of Serbia is Commissariat for Refugees and Migration. The project will be implemented in cooperation with local governments. This Programme will comprise 16,780 of the most vulnerable families, or 45,000 persons in the category of those from 1991-1995 living in collective centers or other forms of collective accommodation and vulnerable refugees in private accommodation including former tenancy rights holders without a lasting solution to the country of origin and country of asylum (based on the criteria established by UNHCR).