Penza, 14 December 2015. PenzaNews. The deputies of the Penza city Duma demanded the vice-mayor Yuri Ilyin to show them the plan to develop infrastructure in Zarya residential area where new flats for people being moved from dilapidated housing are soon to appear.

© PenzaNewsBuy the photo

During the session of the permanent City Duma committee on self-government and control over activities of government bodies and officials, held on Monday, December 14, Yuri Ilyin announced over 7,200 people will move to the new residential area hosing by 1 September 2017, which is the deadline of the program.

“The overall finance for the project is 3,785 million rubles over 5 years. More than half of this some comes from the funds of the Communal Services Reform Foundation, which is 2,307 million rubles, the region [provides] 219 million rubles, the rest – from the Penza city budget – is 1,528 million rubles,” clarified the deputy head of city administration.

The fourth stage of the move program is currently underway, the vice-mayor added.

“We are building several apartment buildings. The 2015 period, which is currently undergoing the construction stage, holds plans to move a total of 1,765 people from 764 flats with a total volume of 28,296 square meters. 57 apartment buildings will be housed as result of the 2015 period. The overall funding is slightly over 1 billion rubles. […] Funding from the foundation is 439 million rubles, or 44%. Funding from the Penza region budget is 78 million rubles, funding from the city budget is 486 million rubles,” Yuri Ilyin said.

According to him, the apartment buildings for people being moved from dilapidated housing are located by Novoselov street in Zarya residential area.

“We are now planning to complete the construction of three apartment buildings. The subcontractors will be finishing them for us this week, commissions will come check the quality of work. The rest of the apartment buildings will be complete by 15 June 2016. Three houses hold the majority of housing. We are currently building about 3,000 square meters. These three houses that we will have to complete by year’s end will have over 19,600 square meters, while the five remaining – smaller, more compact houses – will have 14,500 square meters, which is what we will complete throughout the first half of the next year,” the Penza vice-mayor explained.

The joint 2016-2017 stage of the program is still only beginning, Yuri Ilyin added.

After the report, Duma deputy Alexander Trutnev asked about the basis for moving people to Zarya residential area if they do not want to go there.

In reply, Yuri Ilyin explained the citizens will be supplied sufficient information on it.

“Zarya residential area is a perspective city development zone. The 6th, 7th, 8th residential areas are zones of perspective construction where houses will be appearing soon. We have the needed construction project with the required social infrastructure planned. Obviously, we must understand that infrastructure is designed for the citizens. Transportation and trade locations come after [the move of] a certain group of people. If the property owners do not sign the exchange agreements with or without surplus payment, we will be working to buy out the residential property under Article 32 of the Housing Codex. We will be buying out the property they own the rights to,” said the deputy head of the city administration.

In turn, Duma deputy Irina Voronina asked to provide information on the schedule for social infrastructure objects to appear in Zarya residential area and the means of compensation for the citizens who will be moved from the Penza city center to the outskirts.

Currently, the residential area is serviced only by the marshrutka route No. 25, the nearby school provides education only until grade 9, and there are no hospitals, post offices, shopping centers, culture or sports institutions in the vicinity, she added.

Yuri Ilyin replied by saying that the project provides plans for a school, several kindergartens, sports and recreation institutions, and stores.

“But wherever it doesn’t come to business – I mean shopping and entertainment locations – it all depends on the state of the budget. Presently, we don’t have the money for a school or a kindergarten allocated in the budget,” stressed the deputy head of the city administration.

According to him, the transportation issue can be resolved easily, provided there is a request from the local residents.

“We already discussed it with the transportation department, they got in touch with transport providers. They are ready to supply additional routes and buses if the request comes from the citizens. However, in the current situation, they have no opportunity to go empty without any passengers. That is why they do not actively participate in the procurements,” Yuri Ilyin explained.

Irina Voronina also asked about the reasons why the majority of citizens affected were not warned of their houses having been deemed dilapidated at the right moment, and requested the plans to sign agreements with each citizen on real estate reclamation.

“These formalities lead us to say the actions of the administration in regards to this program can be called null and void,” she said.

Yuri Ilyin responded by saying he was not responsible for the field when the houses were deemed dilapidated, and is therefore unable to state the reason why people were not informed.

However, he said he has photographic evidence that each building had information leaflets posted on each affected building.

Moreover, Yuri Ilyin added that Penza has no practice of real estate reclamation agreements, as the property owners only sign exchange agreements.

Once again taking active part in the exchange, Alexander Trutnev pointed out that the people who lived by the city center want to move to the housing that is similar in location.

“Whoever approved this program, it was, to say the least, wrong, incorrect. Why did we spend money on that developing residential area? We all perfectly realize this area will be in development for at least 100, maybe even 200 years until it becomes good enough,” the deputy stressed.

Irina Voronina supported her colleague and said the move from dilapidated housing must elicit positive reaction and not protest.

“By our actions, by this program, we only created a negative impact, created social instability in the city. And, moreover, we do not know when it will be lifted, as we do not and likely will not have the money to provide the facilities in the residential area in the nearest future, at least in 2016-2017 when the program will be taking effect. We have neither possibilities nor plans, only intentions,” the deputy emphasized.

Irina Voronina proposed to extend the program until the necessary infrastructure appears in Zarya residential area. In turn, Alexander Trutnev suggested the officials praising the area to buy a flat there for themselves.

“As for the officials who say this is such as wonderful residential area, I think they must lead by example – sell their flats, buy new ones in Zarya, live there for a while, improve everything – and then we all will see if living there is good enough,” he said.