1st Edition

The Reform of Housing in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union

Edited By Jozsef Hegedus, Ivan Tosics, Bengt Turner Copyright 1992

    The rapid political changes in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union have had repercussions for many elements of the socialist system. Housing provision, always an important part of the socialist agenda, has undergone extensive changes. These have solved some problems but given rise to others. The studies in The Reform of Housing in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union highlight the various aspects of housing reform, including such issues as rehabilitation, private initiatives, housing quality, welfare requirements and home ownership. While in some countries policy-makers have adhered to the older methods of housing provision, in others the number of massive state-run projects has declined in favour of smaller privately-funded enterprises. The latest changes reflect the socio-economic restructuring of the countries in general and thus housing can be seen as a spearhead for reforms throughout the system. The contributors are active researchers in the former Eastern Bloc who analyse the latest reforms and academics from Western Europe who supply a context of broader housing issues. They analyse the external factors that have influenced the reforms and assess the outlook for the future.

    List of figures and tables, Preface, 1 Housing reforms in Eastern Europe: an introduction, 2 Albania: an introduction, 3 Housing and housing policy in Albania, 4 Bulgaria: an introduction, 5 Housing reforms in Bulgaria Myth or reality?, 6 Czechoslovakia: an introduction, 7 Housing in Czechoslovakia: Past and present problems, 8 Recent changes in the housing system and policy in Czechoslovakia: an institutional approach, 9 Germany: and what now, when the twain have met?, 10 Housing in the colours of the GDR, 11 Hungary: an introduction, 12 Housing reforms in Hungary, 13 Poland: an introduction, 14 The housing system in Poland: changes and direction, 15 The housing market in Warsaw according to the mediators of the estate agencies, 16 Romania: an introduction, 17 The housing sector in Romania: appendix, 18 The Soviet Union: an introduction, 19 Housing and housing policy in the USSR, 20 The reform of the Soviet housing model: the search for a concept, 21 Yugoslavia: an example reconsidered, 22 Reformism in Yugoslavia: introductory remarks, 23 A case study of conflicting housing pluralism in Yugoslavia: informal (self-help) activities in the formal housing system, 24 Conclusion: past tendencies and recent problems of the East European housing model, Appendix: housing reforms in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, Index

    Biography

    Jozsef Hegedus, Ivan Tosics, Bengt Turner

    `... the book is a welcome addition to the meagre coverage of housing in eastern European countries. Its wide coverage of countries is a strong point with many existing gaps being filled. ... should provide useful teaching material and should be a part of any researcher's library who has an interest in this part of the world. - Urban Studies

    `I recommend this rare collection of reference materials to all people interested in the market oriented transformation of housing in the countries of the ex-socialist block.' - Environment and Planning A

    `... provides a comprehensive analysis of the rapid unfolding of housing policy which accompanied political change across Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union ... provides an unusually critical perspective by Eastern European housing analysts of command economy.' - Town Planning Review

    `...this volume will provide essential reading for the student and specialist and indispensable for library references. - Geografiska Annaler