A series of proposals (recommendations) were developed for the government, some of them were implemented. For example, the powers of the Ministry of Education to grant subsidies to regions to provide housing for orphans were transferred to the Ministry of Construction. Some barriers have been removed, for example on the use of escrow accounts in house construction or the provision of studio apartments for orphans.
One of the recommendations of the Chamber of Accounts concerned the delivery of a “housing certificate” (a cash subsidy in the amount corresponding to the cost of housing in a particular region) instead of the housing itself. The Accounts Chamber recommended amendments to the legislation, now the bill is under consideration in the State Duma, Shtogrin said. “This mechanism will help solve many problems that currently exist in this area,” she said.
To obtain a “housing certificate”, an orphan must be over the age of 23, be employed for at least 6 months, have no criminal record, and not be registered with a narcological or neuropsychiatric dispensary.
Among the priority tasks in the field of social support for orphans is the elimination of the accumulated debt for their housing.
As Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children’s Rights under the Russian Presidency, recently reported, more than 288,000 orphans and children left without parental care are now in line for housing.
The draft program for the elimination of the tail has been finalized, even taking into account the recommendations of the Chamber of Accounts.
According to the UTE press service, it includes measures that take into account the possibility of providing temporary housing for orphans or offsetting hiring costs until they receive permanent housing. These measures will provide accommodation for orphans in case they move to another region, where they receive education or plan to find a job.
At the same time, as the Chamber of Accounts points out, it is important not only to provide an orphaned child with adequate housing, but also to assess their suitability for future residence. The Ministry of Education sent a letter to the authorities of the regions, in which it recommends completing the work on amending regional regulatory legal acts related to control over the use and security of housing for special categories of citizens.
