| Abstract [eng] |
This master’s project discusses the housing policy in terms of renovation in the case of Vilkaviškis municipality. Relevance: the majority of the Lithuanian housing stock comprises housing built in the last decades of the previous century. In privatising the housing stock the government lacked a system for multi-family housing maintenance, so the buildings are of poor condition, uneconomical, non cost-efficient in terms of heating. The aim of the study: to evaluate the renovation (modernisation) of multi-family housing in the municipality of Vilkaviškis, also forming conclusions and recommendations on the issue. The object of the study: the opinions of residents of multi-family housing in the municipality of Vilkaviškis, as well as of the experts working on the project of renovation (modernisation). Research questions: Is the housing policy in Lithuania properly established in the scope of housing renovation? How is the housing renovation project perceived by the residents of Vilkaviškis municipality? What recommendations might we form to speed up the process of renovation and to improve the housing policy? Tasks of the study: 1) discussing the perception of the Lithuanian housing policy along with the government welfare model; 2) analysing the legislation of the housing policy and the concerned public programmes in Lithuania; 3) investigating the current situation of the housing renovation in Lithuania and the European Union; 4) examining the viewpoints of the residents and experts in the municipality of Vilkaviškis inquiring about the demand, quality, and problems of the multi-family housing renovation; 5) presenting conclusions and recommendations for the improvement of the housing policy in Lithuania. Research methods: the analysis of academic sources and statistical data. A quantitative research has been carried out by the means of questionnaires. The questioned residents are of two types: residents of renovated housing (or in the progress of renovation) and residents living in unrenovated housing. A qualitative study has been done in addition by help of a semi-structured questionnaire to add weight to the quantitative approach. The obtained results were compared. The main conclusions: a general sense of need for modernising multi-family housing is felt in the municipality of Vilkaviškis resulting from the wear and high maintenance costs. In the progress of housing renovation a few problems were encountered in the municipality of Vilkaviškis: the lack of structured information, resident passivity, and the lack of competence on the part of the construction experts. The quality of housing renovation was rated average for these two main reasons: the shortage of construction experts and negligence. |
