Poltavchenko: Housing in Moscow was 2 times inaccessible

Nedvizhimost15-05-2007 more than 2-fold decreased availability of housing for Muscovites from July 2005 to January 2007. This was stated by Presidential Plenipotentiary in the Central Federal District Georgy Poltavchenko. "The widening gap between housing prices and incomes bulk of the Muscovites was the main reason for the sharp decline of housing affordability," - he explained. The main reasons for rising prices, according to G. Poltavchenko, linked to the attractiveness of the Moscow housing as a profitable an investment as well as the increasing purchasing power of individual groups of citizens, including residents of other regions of Russia and other countries. Envoy stressed that solving the housing problem in Moscow adopted a whole range of social programs, increasing the possibility of citizens to use their own income for housing, in addition, realized the national project "Affordable Housing", Interfax reported. G. Poltavchenko said that the city authorities offered in the contract for the construction of housing with the consent of the investors include a choice of several options for the obligations of investors on the sale of flats to Muscovites. " This, he said, would "allow citizens to purchase housing on a priority basis." "I think it is absolutely normal and does not extend beyond any legislation or market relations", - he added. "If visitors have the desire and means to live in Moscow, they can absolutely freely buy housing at market conditions, including the secondary market. Similar schemes operate in many countries around the world, including, for example, in Germany, and in no way impede the process of not only domestic but also interstate migration, "- said Mr. Poltavchenko. He added that "this measure - the time it is due to the shortage that exists today, and in great demand, liquidity, real estate is in Moscow." Oleg Zolotov