“Support of motherhood and childhood is a constant state policy priority. <…>The key issue here, of course, is affordable housing. Starting this year, as you know, families that have many children are entitled to receive free land plots that are under federal or municipal ownership, including for the purpose of building their own homes. We expect that this measure will truly help families to acquire their own housing.”
“Importantly, as many as 185,000 veterans have had their housing conditions improved in the last four years. We will continue working to complete this task, to provide housing to all those who need it, together with regional authorities. We will definitely continue resolving housing problems of those who serve in the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies now and, of course, we will help those who retired without getting the housing they were entitled to and were put on municipal waiting lists where they felt like outcasts.”
“Each family in Russia must have the prospect of solving their housing problems. This is an important goal, one of our priorities. By 2016 we must practically double the construction of modern, affordable housing. But the main criterion for us is not simply square metres but a real opportunity for Russian families with various incomes to make a home for themselves in a new house or flat.”
“Affordable housing for people must be the main criterion of the effectiveness of our efforts. People must have an opportunity to resolve their housing problems. We must promote the construction of modern economy class housing and expand programmes for discounted mortgages for doctors, teachers, young families and young specialists. Of course, we will continue programmes designed to provide housing for northerners.”
“Over the past eight years, over 217,000 young specialists and young families have benefited from our housing programmes. Many young professionals based in rural areas have been able to improve their families’ living conditions, with more than 14 million square metres of residential space being provided for their housing needs. An additional 2.5 million square metres will become available in 2011-2013. Moreover, I believe that we should allow farmers to build their houses on farmlands.”
“What we need is not abstract square metres, but the availability of quality residences for people and solutions to the housing problems of real Russian families. This should be the main, basic indicator of the efficiency and productivity of our efforts in this area. This is why we will continue to press with our plans to provide housing for veterans, service members, military retirees and other categories of the population for whom the state has direct obligations – I am referring to those living in the Far North, to forced migrants and Chernobyl victims.”
“Vnesheconombank could credit commercial banks so they fund projects for affordable economy-class housing. As we agreed before, this investment should amount to at least 50 billion roubles, and the funding source should be Vnesheconombank’s return on operations in financial markets. I’d like to remind you that the bank earned profits from Russian companies’ shares which it bought during the recession and which have gone up. It would be sound to invest these revenues in housing programmes. These monies will be provided at only 3%, which will allow banks to reduce interest rates for end borrowers, ordinary people.”
“Resolving housing problems is certainly one of our main priorities. This policy is aimed at providing new apartments or new houses to as many Russian families as possible. People should have a range of options for improving their housing depending on each family’s income and current circumstances. These options must include state support, mortgage or personal savings.”
“Due to massive public support, we have managed to maintain the status quo. During 2009-2010, we invested very serious money - more than one trillion roubles - in housing programmes to support mortgages and the construction industry as a whole. As a result, we have not only made serious progress in sorting out people's housing problems, we have maintained the potential for reconstruction and the development of construction and related industries. Housing construction is up in 37 regions of the Russian Federation. From January to June 2010, 21.6 million square metres of housing was commissioned. This is almost the same as in the first, pre-crisis months of 2008, and about 60 million square metres of housing is expected to be built in 2010.”
“I'd like to speak about the housing issue. This has been the main issue in this country for many, many years. As you know, we promised to resolve this problem for those veterans of the Great Patriotic War who registered before March 1, 2005. We have reached this goal. The Krasnodar Territory was the last region to report that it had carried out this objective. We received their report on May 1 of this year. I assume that there are still some problems, but let me repeat that all regions have officially reported on this issue. Of course, we will verify this, but it seems as if the problem has been resolved - 28,500 veterans have received flats.”
