On Housing and Utilities in the Context of Implementation of National Goals of Strategic Development in Russia

The presented study addresses the problems of accessibility of high-quality services provided by the housing and utilities system for the population from the perspective of achieving the strategic goals of creating a comfortable and safe environment, including those formulated as national objectives by the President of the Russian Federation.

Aim. The study aims to determine trends in the funding of the housing and utilities system from the consolidated budget of Russian regions in comparison with the dynamics of paid services in the field of housing and utilities, and to identify approaches to solving the problems of accessibility of highquality services and reducing regional disparities in the provision of these services.

Tasks. Through the example of the North-West macro-region, the authors examine the goals, objectives, and priorities in the housing and utilities sector reflected in regional socio-economic development strategies; identify the expenditure pattern of the consolidated budget of the North-West macro-region; determine the dynamics of expenses on housing and utilities from the consolidated budget of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation located within the North-West macro-region and paid services in this field; determine the amount and dynamics of unit expenses on housing and utilities from the regional consolidated budget and compare it with household expenditure; draw a conclusion regarding the directions for improving the accessibility of high-quality services provided by the housing and utilities system for the population.

Methods. Based on the statistical analysis of the 2012–2018 dynamics of the structure and absolute amount of expenditure from the consolidated budgets of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation located within the North-West macro-region and the dynamics of household expenditure on the paid services of the housing and utilities system, this study identifies the major trends and inter-regional imbalances in the funding of the housing and utilities system as a factor of realization of national priorities in ensuring a comfortable and safe environment.

Results. The study shows that a number of problems persist in the regional housing and utilities systems despite the efforts made by the government, regional and municipal authorities. The constituent entities of the Russian Federation integrate guidelines for the development of this system in their socio-economic development strategies and prioritize increasing the accessibility and quality of housing and utilities services, which is reflected in regional socio-economic development strategies. One of the reasons for the persisting problems in regional housing and utilities systems and low accessibility of services for the population is the lack of a unified approach to the budgetary funding of this system. Different regions, particularly in the Russian North-West, exhibit multidirectional trends in the funding of the housing and utilities system and its support from the consolidated budget of the region. This generates and amplifies the differences between regions in the amount of budgetary funding of this system, creating unequal conditions for the population of the respective regions in terms of access to high-quality housing and utilities services. Thus, it becomes obvious that a more grounded regional budget policy is required — one that would make allowance for the existing imbalances in the funding of such services.

Conclusions. To solve the identified problems, it is advisable to develop a more grounded regional budget policy that would make allowance for the existing imbalances in the funding of housing and utilities services. Mechanisms for overcoming the existing inequality of access to housing and utilities services for the population should be established not only during the development and adjustment of regional socio-economic development strategies, but also during the formation of strategy at the level of a federal district.

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