Housing construction in Russia during the 100-year period: Dynamics, results and socio-economic problems

The article considers the dynamics of housing construction in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR — a constituent republic of the Soviet Union) and the Russian Federation from the year of 1918 to 2023. For our analysis, we make use of such indicators as housing completions overall and in urban and rural areas, by source of financing, by segment (apartment buildings and individual houses); the data on the size of the housing stock and its structure depending on the form of ownership; housing availability to the population; quantity, structure and floor space of housing units built as well as number of people who improved their housing conditions. On the basis of the data on housing completions in various segments and changes in the legislation, we identify seven stages in the evolution of housing construction in the RSFSR and the Russian Federation during the century considered as well as characterize each of the stages. The article presents for the first time estimates of the area of total and rural socialized housing stock and the housing stock of the RSFSR that was in the personal ownership of citizens for the years of 1926, 1939, 1949 and for the period from 1958 to 1979. We also pinpoint major current socioeconomic problems in housing construction and suggest measures to resolve them with the aim of raising housing availability and affordability for the population of the Russian Federation.