Executive Summary
Cash for Rent (CfR) in Lebanon has worked well as a time bound protection and stabilization tool. It helps households avoid immediate eviction, remain in safe and adequate accommodation during the assistance period, and reduces acute stress linked to arrears. It does not, in most cases, create durable housing security once payments stop, because the underlying drivers of rent stress in Lebanon are structural: volatile rental markets, limited income opportunities, and weak enforceability of tenancy arrangements. The evidence in this review therefore supports a realistic positioning for 2026: Cash for Rent can prevent acute harm and buy time for case management and referrals, but it cannot substitute for income, multipurpose support, or an affordable housing system.
