In Kalmykia, over thousand young families need better housing conditions

In 2002-2012, Kalmykia allocated about 130 million roubles within the republic's target programme "Affordable Housing - to Young Families"; already 652 young families have received social benefits to repay part of the value of purchased apartments. However, more than a thousand young families in the country still need improvement of their housing conditions.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that these figures were presented on October 9 at the regular sitting of the discussion club at the Government of Kalmykia.

Alexei Pakhalenko, Minister for Youth Policy, Sports and Tourism, said, speaking at the sitting that the programme was amended to allow state support to more young families.

According to his story, the upper age threshold of the spouses-participants of the programme was increased (from 30 to 35 years), and the social benefit may be used not only as the initial payment for a mortgage housing loan, but also to pay out the principal; and a possibility has now appeared to make changes in the approved regional lists of families-candidates for social benefits.

The main sources of funding the programme are the means of young families, funds from the federal, republic's and local budgets, as well as funds of enterprises and organizations interested in attracting young professionals.

According to Mr Pakhalenko, contradictions in the existing legal framework hamper the effective programme implementation. "For example, to be eligible as a young family requiring improvement of housing conditions, it should be a needy family, that is, to have incomes below the subsistence minimum," said the minister. "At the same time, it must present proofs that the family incomes are sufficient to pay the calculated cost of the housing."

Besides, the list includes the young families, put on the account as requiring improved housing conditions before March 1, 2005. As noted by Alexei Pakhalenko, it infringes the rights of other families, including newly-created ones.