Access to Housing determining new policy Gwendolyn Burchell

Access to Housing – determining new policy Gwendolyn Burchell MBE

Changing ideology Communist – universal housing policy Transitional – era of privatization Ideology? Social housing policy?

State Intervention • Legislation – e. g. planning & building regulations, urban regeneration (to raise living standards) • Subsidies – e. g. tax relief on purchasing, housing benefits, building loans (to enable people to enter the private market) • Direct provision – e. g. housing, shelters (to prevent homelessness)

Homelessness – determining the need Indicator Shagan Saray Khachmaz Ganja Yasamal Total 177 54 57 74 61 423 Institutionalization as a RESULT of homelessness/poverty 16 25 21 13 16 91 % of total cases 9. 04 46. 30 36. 84 17. 57 26. 23 21. 51 Source: UAFA, ‘Keeping Disadvantaged and Disabled Children with their Families, 2008 -2011’

Priced out of the market • Affordability Country Average monthly salary: sq. m/home UK 5. 41 sq. m Finland 10. 55 sq. m. Azerbaijan 0. 41 sq. m. • Rate of increase in # of families able to improve housing conditions – actually decreasing by 7% each year since 1998 Source: Javid Khalilov, ‘Support to Economic Initiatives’ Public Union

Contributory social problems: trends and observations • Divorce – 16% increase since 2006 (7817 – 9061) • Children leaving care No official figures for 2010/11 – anecdotal evidence • Unemployment • Elderly/disabled

Potential solutions • Legislation – e. g. 1977 Homelessness Act, UK • Housing benefits – to support family unity • Social housing • Temporary housing – for vulnerable groups Opportunities • High economic growth • Legislation on Specialized Social Services • State Program on Deinstitutionalization • State contracting of NGOs

Questions • What ideological framework best suits social policy in Azerbaijan? • As the economy increasingly follows market ideology, how can housing policy reflect this? • Is there a need for new legislation on homelessness? What implications could there be?