Private Housing for the Russian Households: Motivations and Constraints
The paper deals with the problem of identifying motivations and barriers for private housing construction. The author focuses on Russian reality, specifically on the housing projects for households living in three federal districts. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey performed on a sample of n = 107 respondents from North Caucasian, Far Eastern, and Northwestern Federal Districts. Research findings suggested the importance of private housing construction for the respondents; however, a list of barriers was identified, which prevent households from building more private houses. Financial barriers include a lack of finance and an unaffordable mortgage. Land affordability issues include difficulties with purchasing land plots for housing construction, and provision of appropriate engineering infrastructure. Organizational issues, as well as lack of reliable suppliers and contractors, are also among the most significant project constraints. Besides, the respondents demonstrated readiness to benefit from the assistance of local administrations and employers, including consulting and organizational support. It is therefore reasonable to suggest a range of services to provide affordable financial, consulting and organizational assistance as a part of complex political decision-making to support private housing construction in Russia.