Impact of Government Measures to Support Mortgage Lending on Housing Affordability in Russia: Regional Evidence

This study investigates housing affordability in Russia: factors of affordability, quantitative indicators, and government support measures. We are especially interested in the mortgage rate subsidy programmes that were implemented in 2015–2016 and 2020–2021 and their impact on housing affordability indicators. In order to evaluate impact of the first programme, we use a model of the real estate market and we decompose the index of housing affordability into different factors. As a result of our econometric analysis, we conclude that in general the programme was successful. Data about the second programme are not yet sufficient, so we evaluate its impact by a statistical analysis of the dynamics of the main indicators. We conclude that the impact is ambiguous: up until a particular moment (different in different regions), borrowers could benefit from the programme, but after that moment the increase in housing prices caused by the programme itself were exceeding the benefits from the subsidised rates. In conclusion, we provide some methods to improve the effectiveness of government measures to support housing affordability, which could be useful in the development of new programmes.

Environmental Assessment of Housing for Older Adults Facing Housing Insecurity

The Aging in the Right Place Environmental Audit (AIRP-ENV) and Secondary Observation (AIRP-ENV-SO) tools were developed to conduct observation-based audit of the built environment in shelters, transitional housing, independent housing with offsite/onsite supports, and permanent supportive housing with onsite medical and/or specialized services for older adults experiencing (or at risk of) homelessness. The 241 item AIRP-ENV tool is used to audit the presence/absence of exterior and interior built environmental features that support housing stability. The seven open-ended questions in the AIRP-ENV-SO tool is used to collect contextual data on function, safety and land-use of surrounding neighborhood. Data were collected at four sites of a transitional housing program in Vancouver, Canada as part of a multi-year, multi-city partnership project on aging and homelessness. Preliminary results demonstrate that built environment and urban design features (e.g., access, privacy, flexible and supportive spaces) contribute towards tenants’ residential resiliency and aging in place.

Reasoning About Life Transitions in Relation to Perceived Housing: In-Depth Data From Sweden

The accessibility and suitability of housing to improve health and well-being for the growing share of older adults in the population has important policy implications. Yet, current housing policies tend to neglect the heterogeneity of older adults housing needs which vary across age, health, and personal preferences. Little is known about how life transitions in combination with perceived housing relates to good aging. This qualitative study aims to explore the relationship between perceived housing, life transitions, well-being, health, and participation in older age. Participants were community-dwelling and aged 65-75 years. All participants reported multiple transitions considered as important for the way they viewed their housing situation and social relationships as well as for the choices they made around their housing. The findings from this project may be used to develop health promotion programs that proactively support housing decisions along the process of ageing and enable full participation in society.

The Role of Banking Finance in Developing Housing Sector: Case study of Real Estate Commercial Bank- Sudan (2011- 2018): دور التمويل المصرفي في تنمية قطاع الإسكان: دراسة حالة البنك العقاري التجاري- السودان (2011- 2018)

The study aims to clarify the role of banking finance on developing housing sector in Sudan (2011- 2018). Descriptive analytical and case study approaches were used. The study reached several results, including a weak contribution (4%- 14%) of commercial banks in financing housing sector due to restriction of granting real estate finance. Moreover, political instability and miss- management of public resources have contributed to the failing of some economic and social projects. Nevertheless, Real Estate Commercial Bank (RECB) played a vital role in developing the housing sector through financing, constructing and rehabilitation of some housing projects. The study recommended to increase the capital of RECB and real estate financing ratio to enable it to provide housing and public services such as electricity, water stations and schools especially for people with low- income. Also, the state should take into consideration designing housing plans and banking policies that support housing sector to enable it to meet population growth.

Rental Affordability

Chapter 5 discusses housing for low-income groups. Households face a wide dispersion of housing costs and data for the UK and many other countries show that those on low incomes are more likely to spend a high percentage of their incomes on housing in the absence of support. Low-income households are also more heavily concentrated in the rental housing sectors. The chapter, therefore, concentrates on the measures that have been implemented to support housing and the extent to which the problem of high rents is offset by income related subsidies. The chapter also stresses that low-income affordability cannot be considered in isolation from other parts of the housing market and the economy more widely, notably fiscal and monetary policies and changes in the income distribution, and policy has generally taken insufficient account of the interlinkages.

Increases in Secondhand Smoke After Going Smoke-Free: An Assessment of the Impact of a Mandated Smoke-Free Housing Policy

Objective The 12-month impact of federally mandated smoke-free housing (SFH) policy adoption (July 2018) was assessed using two markers of ambient secondhand smoke (SHS): airborne nicotine and particulate matter at the 2.5-micrometer threshold (PM2.5). Methods We measured markers of SHS in Norfolk, VA from December 2017 to December 2018 in six federally subsidized multi-unit public housing buildings. Multi-level regression was used to model the following comparisons: (1) the month immediately before SFH implementation versus the month immediately after, and (2) December 2017 versus December 2018. Results There was a 27% reduction in indoor PM2.5 and a 32% reduction in airborne nicotine in the first month after SFH adoption, compared to the month prior to adoption. However, there was a 33% increase in PM2.5 and a 25% increase in airborne nicotine after 12 months. Conclusions US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-mandated SFH can reduce SHS in multi-unit housing. However, SFH could also plausibly increase indoor smoking. Policy approaches adopted by individual properties or housing authorities—for example, property-wide bans versus allowing designated smoking areas—could be driving this potential unintended consequence. Implications Successful implementation of SFH by public housing authorities in response to the HUD rule requires ongoing attention to implementation strategies. In this sense, SFH likely differs from other policies that might be seen as less intrusive. Long-term success of SFH will depend on careful policy implementation, including plans to educate and support housing authority staff, inform and engage residents, and build effective partnerships with community agencies.

A Cohort Study: Evaluating Self-Efficacy in Adolescents Attending a Tailored Youth-Informed Breastfeeding Program

ABSTRACTAdolescents (≤19 years of age) have lower rates of breastfeeding (BF) compared to older mothers. BF self-efficacy (SE), defined as a mother’s confidence in her ability to breastfeed her infant, has been identified as an important factor influencing BF outcomes. An innovative youth-informed BF program for young women was designed and implemented, which included staff training, a prenatal BF class and BF peer support. The objective of this cohort study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in improving young mother’s BF SE.Participants were pregnant adolescents recruited from a large urban non-profit social service outreach centre. The Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) was administered to participants before and after participating in the BF program. BSES-SF scores were summed to determine a composite score and compared descriptively using mean score. Un-aggregated, item-by-item, comparison of pre-vs post-BF program scores were also compared to examine improvements in SE. A total of 20 adolescent mothers (mean age = 16.6) attended the BF program. An increase in the total BSES-SF score was observed based on descriptively comparing the mean pre vs post intervention.Prenatal education and peer support adapted to the needs of adolescent mothers was associated with increased BSES-SF. These results are promising given that clients attending programs at this agency have low-income, low educational attainment, variable family support, housing instability, and are at-risk for not breastfeeding. Future studies with larger cohort are required to further validate and establish generalizability, as well as to determine the effect on BF duration rates.