Housing policy reforms in post socialist Europe : lost in transition / Sasha Tsenkova.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Tsenkova, S.

Series:

Contributions to economics

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Housing policy--Europe, Eastern.

Housing policy.

Housing policy--Europe, Central.

Public housing--Europe, Eastern.

Public housing.

Public housing--Europe, Central.

Europe, Eastern--Economic conditions--1989-.

Europe, Eastern.

Eastern Europe.

Economic conditions.

Europe, Central--Economic conditions--1989-.

Europe, Central.

Central Europe.

Physical Description:

xviii, 262 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Heidelberg : Physica, 2009.

Summary:

The book provides unique insights into the process of housing reforms in post-socialist Europe during its transition to markets and democracy. It explores the relationships between housing policy and housing system performance in nine countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Republic of Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro. The research captures important housing policy and market dynamics producing tangible outcomes of the transition processes. Using a comparative framework for analysis and evaluation, the book provides an enduring and sound illustration of the post-socialialist experience highlighting patterns of diversity, complexity and institutional transformation in the new path-dependent housing systems in the region. The research is driven by the premise that housing policy matters and that better policies lead to more efficient housing system performance.

Contents:

1 Introduction: Conceptual Framework for Comparative Analysis 1

1.1 Introduction 2

1.2 Major Themes in the Literature on Post-Socialist Housing Systems 5

1.3 Conceptual Framework 9

1.4 Analytical Model: Performance and Policy Outcomes 13

1.4.1 Fiscal Policies 15

1.4.2 Financial Policies 15

1.4.3 Housing Market Policies 16

1.5 Housing System Performance Indicators 16

1.5.1 Distributional Efficiency 17

1.5.2 Improvement of Housing Quality 17

1.5.3 Stability in Housing Investment and Production 17

1.5.4 Differentiation of Prices and Rents 18

1.5.5 Affordability and Choice 18

1.6 Research Methodology 18

1.6.1 Review of the Literature 19

1.6.2 Surveys and Field Work 19

1.6.3 Comparative Evaluation and Validation 20

1.7 Scope and Content of the Book 20

2 The Legacy of Socialist Housing Systems 25

2.1 The Legacy of the Socialist Model of Development 25

2.2 The Socialist Housing Policy 27

2.2.1 The Legacy of the Socialist Housing Model 28

2.2.2 Housing Policy Reforms 30

2.3 The Socialist Housing Systems: Performance and Outcomes 33

2.3.1 Housing Conditions 33

2.3.2 Forms of Housing Provision 37

2.3.3 Tenure Structure and Property Rights 42

2.3.4 Housing Costs and Affordability 44

2.4 Crisis and Transition in the Housing System 46

3 Political, Social and Economic Transitions 51

3.1 External Factors Influencing the Performance of Housing Systems 51

3.1.1 The Political Transition 51

3.1.2 The Economic Transition 53

3.1.3 The Social Transition 58

3.2 Concluding Comments 62

4 Housing Policy Reforms in South East Europe 65

4.1 Major Housing Policy Developments: Challenges and Opportunities 65

4.1.1 The First Phase of Housing Reforms 65

4.1.2 The Second Phase of Housing Reforms 68

4.1.3 Progress in Housing Reforms 70

4.2 Institutional Reforms: Privatisation and Private Sector Growth 72

4.2.1 Public Sector Institutions in Housing Provision 73

4.2.2 Private Institutions in the Provision of Housing 77

4.2.3 Non-Government Organisations and Housing Market Intermediaries 80

4.3 Reforms of the Legal Framework for Housing 81

4.3.1 Property Rights Legislation 82

4.3.2 Legislation on Housing Loans and Mortgages 85

4.3.3 Legislation on Housing Privatisation 86

4.3.4 Legal Framework for Apartment Ownership and Management 87

4.3.5 Legislation on Construction and Planning 88

4.3.6 Taxes and Transaction Fees 89

4.4 Institutional and Legal Reforms: Concluding Comments 90

5 Government Support for Housing 91

5.1 Fiscal and Financial Instruments to Support Access to Affordable Housing 91

5.2 Direct Public Provision of Homeownership Housing 93

5.3 Demand-Based Assistance to Homeowners 95

5.4 Provision of Public/Social Rental Housing 97

5.5 Housing Assistance to Low Income Households in the Rental and Owner Occupied Sector 100

5.6 Housing and Refugee Related Issues in the Region 100

5.6.1 Housing Programmes in Bosnia-Herzegovina 101

5.6.2 Housing Programmes in Croatia 104

5.6.3 Housing Programmes in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 106

5.6.4 Housing Programmes in Serbia and Montenegro 106

5.7 Refugee-Related Housing Programmes in Kosovo/UNMIK 108

5.8 Concluding Comments 110

6 Housing Systems: Performance Challenges 113

6.1 Assessment of Housing Distribution in the Region 113

6.2 Improvement in Housing Quality: Regional Challenges 117

6.2.1 Access to Technical Infrastructure 117

6.2.2 Deteriorating Quality of Existing Housing 118

6.2.3 Substandard Housing 123

6.3 Tenure Structure and Housing Choice 123

6.4 Housing Investment and New Housing Construction 128

6.4.1 Trends in New Housing Construction 128

6.4.2 Informal Housing 130

6.4.3 Constraints for New Housing Development 131

6.5 Affordability of Housing 132

6.5.1 Income Differentiation 132

6.5.2 Housing Costs 133

6.5.3 Prices in Emerging Housing Markets 133

6.6 Concluding Comments 138

7 Housing Privatisation, Housing Management and Public Housing 139

7.1 Privatisation and Housing Management: A Troubled Relationship 139

7.1.1 The Institutional Framework for Housing Management 140

7.1.2 The Evolving Legal Framework for Housing Management 142

7.1.3 The Triple Challenge for Asset Management 145

7.2 Public Rental Housing: Challenges and Future Prospects 150

7.2.1 Regional Perspective on Public Rental Housing 151

7.3 Changing Institutional Context 152

7.3.1 Rent Setting 153

7.3.2 Allocation 153

7.4 Financial Support for Public Housing 154

7.5 Maintenance Practices 156

7.6 Conclusion 156

8 Housing Finance and New Housing Provision 159

8.1 Bridging the Gap: Developments in Housing Finance 159

8.1.1 Overview 160

8.1.2 Banking Reforms 160

8.1.3 The Primary Mortgage Market 162

8.2 Mortgage Lending 165

8.3 Constraints for Mortgage Lending 168

8.3.1 Interest Rate Spread 168

8.3.2 Conservative Approach to Lending 168

8.3.3 Affordability Constraints 169

8.3.4 Lack of Construction Lending 170

8.4 The Housing Industry in Transition 170

8.4.1 Privatisation of Construction Enterprises 170

8.4.2 Private Housebuilders 171

8.5 The Transition in New Housing Provision 172

8.5.1 Forms of New Housing Provision 173

8.5.2 Quality and Costs in New Housing Provision 177

8.6 Economic and Social Efficiency of Private Housebuilding 179

8.6.1 Economic Efficiency 179

8.6.2 Social Efficiency of Private Housebuilding 182

9 The Transition in Housing and Informal Settlements 187

9.1 Informal Housing and Informal Settlements in South East Europe 187

9.1.1 Definitions 187

9.1.2 Spatial Manifestation and Formation Processes 189

9.1.3 Settlements for Vulnerable Groups 191

9.1.4 Location and Size 194

9.2 The Challenges of Informal Housing 194

9.2.1 The Economic Challenges 196

9.2.2 The Social Challenges 198

9.2.3 The Environmental Challenges 199

9.3 Policy Solutions 201

9.3.1 Legalization 202

9.3.2 Regularization and Upgrading 203

9.3.3 Resettlement 203

9.4 Informal Housing as a Problem and a Solution 205

10 The Transition in Housing and Nations of Homeowners 209

10.1 Lost in Transition: Housing Policy in South East Europe 209

10.2 Evaluation of Housing Policy Reforms 211

10.2.1 The Second Phase of Housing Reforms 211

10.2.2 Progress in Developing Effective Legal and Institutional Framework 212

10.2.3 Progress in Developing Transparent and Targeted Fiscal Policies 215

10.2.4 Progress in Establishing a Well-Functioning System of Housing Finance 216

10.2.5 Progress in Developing a Competitive Provision System for New Housing 218

10.3 Evaluation of Housing System Performance 221

10.3.1 Distributional Efficiency 221

10.3.2 Improvement of Housing Quality 222

10.3.3 Stability of Housing Investment and Production 224

10.3.4 Affordability and Choice 225

10.4 Concluding Comments: The Unfinished Agenda 228.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9783790821147

3790821144

OCLC:

261955204