Improved Access to Shelter for Vulnerable Syrian Refugees in Jordan. This project aims at providing adequate housing for Syrian refugees and vulnerable members of the Jordanian host communities who live in sub-standard housing conditions and face difficulties in paying the rent, by means of shelter upgrades and financial support to cover housing rental costs, including emergency cash for rent assistance for protection and threat of eviction cases. In order to prioritise cases, NRC uses UNHCR’s Vulnerability Assessment Framework (VAF) and NRC’s Integrated Assessment (IA). If vulnerability data is not available, NRC conducts a full vulnerability assessment and initially determines the recommended shelter support modality for each household, depending on the specific needs of the household, location and conditions of the shelter. In order to confirm the support modality, NRC conducts a follow-up technical validation visit, looking at technical and physical conditions of the shelter and to confirm landlords’ willingness to participate in the project.
Shelter support modalities offered through this project include: i) flexible (FLEX) shelter package (renovations + rent-free occupancy) and ii) emergency cash for rent (C4R). The NRC C4R response targets households at imminent risk of eviction or under severe protection risks, offering them support in finding alternative housing, and paying rent for a 6-month period in the new property. The new shelter has to comply with NRC Minimum Shelter Standards with regards to, among other considerations, minimum size of the shelter and toilet access.
Conditional cash grants are paid directly from NRC to the landlords and range between 845 and 1,185 USD. 
Under the flexible shelter package (FLEX), targeted households receive support ranging from 1,270 to 2,260 USD, depending on vulnerability and household size. The financial support provided includes: a) a minimum amount for shelter repairs in exchange for at least 3 months of free rent and b) an amount to cover rent costs for an extra period of time. Overall, the FLEX support provides households with: 1) improved shelter 2) at least 3 months of rent-free occupancy (waived by the landlord) 3) at least 6 month of rent-free occupancy (paid by NRC). Household eligible for FLEX support are encouraged to use NRC’s support in a flexible manner, negotiating with landlords the ratio of renovations and rent-free occupancy to increase benefits received. NRC facilitates negotiations by preparing Bills of Quantities (BoQ) to specify the repairs/upgrades to be done and their cost and holding landlords accountable for the delivery and quality of the renovations. After all parties agree and a lease agreement is signed between the landlord and the tenant, NRC, the tenant and the landlord sign tripartite agreements clarifying roles and responsibilities in the delivery of the shelter support. Upon signature of the agreement, NRC transfers the amount earmarked for repairs to the landlord, who is responsible for executing the works as agreed. Once works are completed, the negotiated rent-free occupancy period begins, with NRC transferring the conditional cash grant to cover the additional months of rent. Based on previous experience, on average households negotiate a 14-month rent-free period from both landlords and NRC.
The FLEX approach is regarded by NRC as a major step in efficiency and beneficiary participation, since rent cots for the project have decreased from 210 USD per month to 130 USD per month between 2017 and now. In addition, families have the opportunity to negotiate, move houses and reach better deals on their own terms, which grants more satisfaction and empowerment. Finally, in order to ensure its shelter support is fully inclusive, NRC supports households with Persons with Disability (PWD) by providing them with inclusion kits. The kits are used by NRC for shelter adaptations aimed at facilitating PWD’s movement in and around the house and at enhancing their independence in Activities of Daily Living.