Reporting-back meeting dedicated to the results of the State Housing Development Agency’s activity in 2020 takes place26/01/2021
A meeting in the form of a video conference was held to review the results of the activity of the State Housing Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the past year, and matters ahead.
Opening the meeting with an opening statement, chairperson of the State Housing Development Agency’s Board of Director Sadig Sadygov mentioned that restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity by our victorious Army under the leadership of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ilham Aliyev was one of the most glorious pages of our history of independence written with golden letters. He noted that since the first day of the Patriotic War, each of our fellow citizens, having united around the Supreme Commander-in-Chief as a firm fist, demonstrated an inviolable national unity and bellicosity of the people of Azerbaijan.
The chairman of the Board of Directors mentioned that as a result of the far-sighted policy of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan mister Ilham Aliyev, significant social and economic development has been secured, leading to year-by-year improvement of material welfare of citizens. Siting the strengthening of the social protection of population, improvement of their housing conditions as priority directions in the state policy, Sadig Sadygov underscored that the year 2020 was remarkable by a series of important events in the Agency’s activity.
It was mentioned that sale of apartments in the Yasamal Residential Complex, the first project of the State Housing Development Agency, was completed in the course of the last year and, 1633 families were provided with affordable housing.
On Marth 24th, 2020, the opening of the Hovsan Residential Complex, the second project of the State Housing Development Agency, took place with the participation of President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva. The foundation of the first seven-storied building in this complex was laid on December 24th, 2017 with the participation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan mister Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-president of the country Mehriban Aliyeva. The number of apartments in the Hovsan Residential Complex is 2962. A secondary school building for 1920 pupils, two kindergartens, each for 90 children, and a medical centre have been constructed in the complex. Three sales of apartments took place in the Hovsan Residential Complex in 2020. Registration of 813 apartments offered to citizens has been completed. All apartments were handed over to citizens with interior finishing works completed, provided with kitchen furniture, individual heating system (including a heating device, “kombi”), as well as water, gas and electricity meters.
Last year, in accordance with the changes made to the “Rules of granting a mortgage credit, including credits on preferential terms, at the expense of the Mortgage and Credit Guarantee Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan, based on the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan of 07.05.2020, one of the existing categories of citizens eligible to own apartments being at the disposal of the State Housing Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan on preferential terms was extended, by adding one more category. So, the existing category named “a person who has worked as a teacher at least 5 years in a state secondary school” was extended to cover “persons who have worked as a teacher at least 3 years in a state secondary education establishment”. Moreover, the category “a person who has worked as a teacher at least 15 years in a state secondary education establishment” was added. Citizens of this category may benefit from the right to own an affordable apartment regardless of their age and family status.
It was noted that construction of a residential complex accommodating 986 apartments was launched in a 6.23-hectare area at Azerbaijani Flag Street of Ganja city by the State Housing Development Agency in February of 2020. The complex includes 10 apartment buildings, a secondary school building for 1176 pupils, and a kindergarten for 125 children. On June 24th of the last year, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva became acquainted with the construction of the residential complex in Ganja city.
Moreover, in accordance with the task set by the head of the country to create conditions for citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan to own affordable housing, construction of 2202 apartments, three kindergartens for 350 children in general, and a secondary school for 1200 pupils in a 15.4-hectare area in Yasamal district, as well as 144 apartments in a 0.75-hectare area in Sumgait city is being carried out by SHDA.
Another project of SHDA is being realized in an 18.81-heactare area west of Hovsan settlement, Surakhany district of Baku city. At the same time, with the purpose of improving housing conditions of people living in regions, works are carried out constantly by SHDA towards allocation of land parcels under construction in other cities and districts.
Application of citizens to own apartments being at the disposal of SHDA and selection of apartments are carried out in an electronic fashion via the “Affordable Housing” System. The number of persons who have obtained an electronic cabinet in the “Affordable Housing” System is 16583.
Sadig Sadygov mentioned that in accordance with the “Strategic Road Map on advancing the provision citizens with affordable housing in the Republic of Azerbaijan”, approved by Order No.1138, dated 06.12.2016, of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, SHDA embarked on the realization of another state order in 2020. Based on requests of relevant entities, 961 apartments, including 742 apartments in the Hovsan Residential Complex, 66 apartments in the second phase of the Yasamal Residential Complex and 153 apartments in the Ganja Residential Complex were allocated based on a state order in the reporting year. Taking into account 436 apartments allocated in 2019, 1397 apartments were allocated from the Agency’s projects. Of these apartments, 987 have been registered in the course of 2020. Thus, 1885 apartments, including 898 via the “Affordable Housing” System and 987 based on a state order, were delivered to citizens during 2020.
Works on registration of an International patent of the “Affordable Housing” System were continued the previous year. An application of claim in this regard was accepted by the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the application, a report on International investigation and a preliminary opinion of the entity responsible for International investigation about the invention were published on the organization’s official site. Thereafter, a report and preliminary opinion were presented by the Russian Federal Intellectual Property Agency, Rospatent, in connection with the International investigation. At the moment, the International preliminary examination of the claim is continued by the Russian Intellectual Property Agency in accordance with the agreement on Patent Cooperation.
In the book called “Social Policy in the Islamic World” published by reputable Springer International Publishing Press House in December 2020, the affordable housing provision programme carried out by the State Housing Development Agency was also covered. Works carried out in the framework of the programme presented in terms of strengthening the accessibility of housing provision for citizens are described here. In the book, SHDA’s activities were noted to be very successful from the perspective of extending accessibility availability of apartments to low-income families. The fact that the affordable housing provision in Azerbaijan is introduced as a model for Islamic countries is important from the standpoint of global presentation of the achievements reached under the leadership of the head of the state.
Speaking at the event with reporting statements, other officials of the Agency too gave detailed information about the works done in relevant areas, as well as duties ahead.