The launch of a program similar to the “First Home” project of Romania, granting of advantageous home loans or loans for building homes are the solutions provided by the election runners when asked by IPN News Agency how the home problem can be solved in Moldova.
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15,000 lei for those who want to rebuild rural home
The Democratic Party of Moldova said that concrete steps were taken over the last four years to solve the home problem in Moldova and the efforts must be continued. The party, managing the Ministry of Regional Development and Construction, initiated a project to build social homes. The project covers the districts Sangerei, Briceni, Calarasi, Leova, Hancesti, Ialoveni, and Soroca. Over the next two years, there will be provided 700 apartments for families with many children and families of doctors, teachers and young specialists. The regional development funds could be used to provide financing of 15,000 lei to the people from rural areas who will want to rebuild their homes. The goal is to help reconstruct 5,000 homes annually. There will be also implemented a project to provide long-term loans at a low interest rate to families that want to purchase homes after holding discussions with the Moldovan banks in this respect. A special program is needed in this respect so that the state fuels the guarantee funds and subsidizes partially the interest rates on loans.
Social homes for socially deprived groups of people
According to the Christian Democratic People’s Party, the rise in the incomes of a large part of the population following the growth of the country’s economy will primarily solve the home problem in Moldova. As to the possibility of the people obtaining long-term loans at a low interest rate, this task should be undertaken by a state bank, but the private banks should stop at reasonable profits. A program should be instituted to provide social dwellings to families with many children, young families that do not have sufficient incomes, particular socially deprived families and invalids, who do not have relatives to help them.
Indirect support for banks so that they provide attractive loans
The Liberal Reformist Party said the lack of homes is one of the most acute problems at present. This problem can be solved by implementing a project similar to Romania’s project “First home” within which young people, with the salary certificate, can take out preferential loans or can purchase a home at a lower price, built by the state through a public-private partnership. To be able to provide advantageous home loans, the banks must enjoy financial stability. When the political situation is stable, the foreign investments start to come and the financial stability also improves. The banks should be supported indirectly so that they help the young families and not only. Social homes should be provided first of all to young families. The equality of chances must be ensured.
Elimination of swindles from the realty market
The National Liberal Party believes the home problem can be solved by stimulating the placement of people in jobs in rural areas and by adopting a Law on Social Homes by which the local public authorities will be obliged to annually provide social homes to at least three young families. Cheap private homes can be also built and cooperation relations for expertise transfer can be established with the U.S. foundation Dj.Carter, which builds cheap homes for socially deprived groups in different countries. Another solution is to adopt a Law on Development/Developer by which to eliminate all the shortcomings and swindles from the really market and to stimulate the mortgage and leasing activity by engaging banks.
Interest-free loans guaranteed by the state
The Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova said economic growth is needed for ensuring the welfare of citizens. As a result, the people will be able to solve by themselves the home problem. The market of the Customs Union and the access to the Eurasian funds will contribute to developing production and to attracting specialists. The solving of the dwelling problem with the assistance of companies will be an appropriate stimulus. The socially disadvantaged groups must receive social homes, while the young families must be able to take out interest-free home loans guaranteed by the state. Budget allocations can be also provided for building social homes based on public-private partnerships.
Completion of the banking system reform
The People’s Party of the Republic of Moldova considers the home problem can be solved only if the local public authorities undertake to build these homes and then to lease them out to people who need dwellings. The home loans are very advantageous for banks, not yet for the people. The reform in the banking system must be completed so as to facilitate competition in this system without monopolization. The process of appearance of foreign banks on the home market must be facilitated so that these provide convenient loans and ensure stability in the system, which is so important for the national economy. Moldova’s Parliament adopted the Law on Homes on July 17, 2014. It describes the method by which social homes can be provided. The lack of financial resources remains yet a problem as the social dwellings, under this law, will be built, repaired or purchased with the available budget funds.
Extension of the “First House” Program at national level
The Liberal Party said an example for efficiently solving the home problem is provided by the mortgage program “First Home” that was initiated by the Mayor General of Chisinau municipality Dorin Chirtoaca. Since the Liberal mayor started to manage the capital city in 2007, several apartment buildings for persons on low incomes have been erected. The beneficiaries of this program include teachers, public functionaries, medical workers, etc. The legislative framework for the construction sector must be improved so that the developers provide increased financial guarantees and bear responsibility if the works are of a poor quality or are delayed. The “First House” Program should be extended at national level.
The intervention of the National Bank of Moldova in the banking system for instituting facilitated conditions for transactions with real estate can also be efficient. In the current period of transaction through which Moldova goes, the social homes are an imperative. The implementation of strategies aimed at reducing the price of realty and at increasing the accessibility of dwellings will not exclude the necessity of providing social homes as these are intended for socially deprived groups such as persons with severe disabilities and their families, families with many children, and internally displaced people.
Bank support for eco homes
The Green Ecologist Party said the shortage of homes should be dealt with by the state. In Moldova the prices of homes are exaggerated. They are two-three times higher. The highest cost price of a square meter is €300, but on the market they ask a price of €400-600. The state should regulate this sector. The interest rates on home loans for families should be lower. The party reached agreements with two European countries, which are ready to help Moldova open a financial-banking subdivision for providing support for launching the green economy, including for building eco homes. This is a separate project with long-term loans at an interest rate of 4%. Some social categories, such as the people with special needs and the invalids, must be provided with social homes.
Appropriate taxation for those who have palaces
Independent candidate Oleg Brega said the home problem in Moldova can be solved when the state, by its authorities, ensures an appropriate business climate and invests in social homes for those in need. The state must provide the people with a safe place to live. By imposing appropriate taxes on those who have palaces, the state can collect money to build social homes for all the people in need. A social homebuilding program should be also implemented in Moldova. There are many persons and whole categories of people who cannot afford a home for health or age reasons. The orphans should be provided with a place to stay at least in dorms.
Loans for 20-25 years at an interest rate of 3-5%
The Centrist Union of Moldova said a program for providing long-term bank loans repayable in 20-25, at an interest rate of 3-5% a year, should be implemented. The state should contribute to the transformation of the national banking system into an interested and efficient partner of the economic entities and of every person. This should be done by rational legal and rigid regulations given that the banks work to make a profit and are also specific economic entities whose activity is based on the financial resources of their clients. The social homes should be built with money from the state budget and local budgets and should be provided to young families, young specialists, families with many children, invalids, etc.
Note: IPN News Agency asked all the election runners to state their views on the given issue. The article contains the answers provided by the agreed date. The IPN series of materials produced before the November 30 parliamentary elections will continue with other important issues identified by the public. So far there were addressed such issues as the undeclared economy, the mandatory health insurance funds , social assistance, road infrastructure and transport, unemployment, the education system, migration and corruption.
Irina Ţurcanu, IPN