The Evolving Housing Market in Moscow: Indicators of Housing Reform

Abstract

With the Russian housing reform underway for several years, this is an appropriate time to review the progress made towards the stated goal of creating a market-oriented housing sector. From the fundamental shift towards private ownership to the supporting legislation, substantial progress has been made towards the realisation of this goal. One of the most significant elements of the housing reform is the law on privatisation of the housing stock passed by the Supreme Soviet in June 1991. Subsequent legislation passed in December 1992 further spurred the reform process. The most far-reaching of these measures was the law On Fundamentals of Housing Policy in the Russian Federation, which addressed the overall orientation of housing policy. This paper examines the results of the housing policy reforms in terms of their effects on private ownership, residential mobility, housing conditions and housing affordability. Longitudinal data on these four characteristics of the Moscow housing sector document the large distortions of the Soviet system and the improvements resulting from recent reforms.