Report on the Implementation of the Russian Officer Resettlement Certificate Program
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Report on the Implementation of the Russian Officer Resettlement Certificate Program February 1996 Prepared for The US Agency for International Development (USAID) Prepared by Gabriel Abraham Cambridge, MA Lexington, MA Hadley, MA Bethesda, MD Washington, DC Chicago, IL Cairo, Egypt Johannesburg, South Africa Abt Associates Inc. 55 Wheeler Street Cambridge, MA 02138 February 8, 1996 i Table of Contents INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Project Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Program Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Guide to Program Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE RUSSIAN MILITARY HOUSING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM . . . . . . 3 Selection of Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Eligibility Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Preparation of Officer Lists And Scheduling Briefings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Officer Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Group Briefings of Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Officer Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Certificate Issuance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Pricing of Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Termination of Certificates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Record Keeping And Program Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Financial Systems Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Financial Systems Design Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Integration of Administrative and Financial Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Goals of the Financial System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 How the System Worked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Financial System Reporting and Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Site Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Belgorod Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Nizhniy Novgorod Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Pskov Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Saratov Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Serpukhov Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Smolensk Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 St. Petersburg Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Tambov Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 Tula Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Tver Oblast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Lessons Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 Participants Guide to Program Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Glossary of Terms: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Program Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 List of International Standard Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Sample Memorandum of Understanding: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Sample of Memorandum of Understanding, No. 2: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Sample Amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Sample Request for Proposal: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Sample Bank Sub-contract: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 1 An Oblast is an administrative region in Russia (province) February 8, 1996 1 INTRODUCTION Program Description & Background for the Russian Officer Resettlement Program Housing Certificate Program Project Background In response to agreements between the President of the United States of America and the President of the Russian Federation in April and July of 1993, the governments of the two countries agreed to undertake a project designed to provide up to 5,000 units of housing for Russian military officers demobilized from the Baltics or elsewhere outside Russia, and to support reforms in the Russian housing sector. The governmental agencies responsible for the implementation of this project were the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and on the Russian side, the Interministerial Committee for the Implementation of the State Program "Housing" (IMC). Among the 21 members of the IMC, the State Committee on Architecture and Construction (MINSTROI) was designated as the lead agency. Of the project's five thousand housing units to be provided, 2,500 were provided through a direct construction program involving American and Russian building companies. The remaining 2,500 units were to be provided through a housing certificate program. Under contract to USAID, Abt Associates Inc. was made responsible for implementing the main housing certificate program to deliver 2,000 housing certificates in ten Oblasts 1 to Russian military officers and their families demobilized from the Baltic Republics of Latvia and Estonia. (A pilot program involving 500 certificates had been undertaken in Pskov and Yaroslavl, and was managed by the Urban Institute and Quadel Consulting Corporation). However, due to cutbacks in program funding, Abt Associates Inc. was only able to fund for the closings on 1859 certificates. Officers selected for the program used their certificates to purchase either new or existing housing units in selected municipalities. The funding value of a certificate did not exceed $25,000, and was often less, depending upon prevailing housing prices in the Oblast and the size of the unit required. The remainder of this report describes the Housing Certificate Program implemented by Abt Associates Inc. Program Overview The housing certificate project conducted assessments of housing markets in a number of regions to select those that have sufficient capacity to supply housing units to returning officers within the time and cost limits specified. With the approval of the IMC, Abt Associates Inc. designated a local bank in each selected Oblast for administration of the certificates and distribution of funds. The housing certificate entitled an officer to a certain amount of money to be used only for the purchase of a new or existing dwelling unit of the size to which his/her family was entitled according to Russian social housing norms. In order to account for inflation in housing prices, the certificate values for different unit sizes were determined each month based upon information provided by local Pricing Centers in each Oblast, and by local real estate brokers to reflect prevailing local prices for new and existing units. Upon registration in the program, each officer provided a bank funding letter showing the certificate values for the unit size for which the officer qualified. These values, for both new and existing housing, were projected for a period of three months, based on recent price trends. Each municipality participating in the certificate program was made responsible for verifying the eligibility of officers, for enrolling them in the program, and for explaining how the selection and purchase of dwellings was to be carried out. The program reviewer, Price Waterhouse (PW), under contract to Abt Associates Inc. reviewed documentation and approved all required program documentation prior to the disbursal of funds. February 8, 1996 2 Eligibility Requirements Participation in the Housing Certificate Program was strictly limited to officers demobilized and discharged from military service in the Baltic republics or other countries outside Russia. The eligible population was separated into the following three categories: 1) At least 80 percent of the recipients must be Russian military officers who were demobilized and departed from military service in the Baltics on or after January 28, 1992; 2) No more than 10 percent of the recipients may be officers demobilized and departed from military service in the Baltics prior to January 28, 1992; 3) No more than 10 percent of the recipients may be officers demobilized and departed from military service in other countries besides the Baltics and Russia on or after April 2, 1993. No more than 10 percent of the total number of beneficiaries across all three categories may be selected by local authorities. Guide to Program Procedures Officers from Latvia and Estonia who were selected to receive housing certificates were designated by the Baltic Offices of Social Assistance/Russian Embassy (ROSA), and the Ministry of Defense (MOD), and were grouped as much as possible according to their preferences among the Oblasts selected for the program. Each group of 30-50 officers visited their selected Oblast together, and had a designated Group Coordinator who was made responsible for making the initial contact with the Oblast to which his/her group was assigned, for maintaining communications with the members of the group, and for performing all the necessary administrative tasks to ensure that documentation was in order and delivered promptly on behalf of the officers. On the officers' first trip to the Oblast, the group participated in an informational seminar where they were given details of eligibility and other program requirements, and were be interviewed individually by municipal/Oblast housing officials. When an individual's program application and documentation proving eligibility was complete, he/she received a housing certificate. Each officer then registered the certificate with the local administering bank, and then visited available housing units. The bank maintained all program documentation and individual records for each officer. Within one month of receiving their certificates, officers had to find a housing unit, negotiate the price, and sign a presales contract with the offeror or owner of the unit. This contract defined the terms and conditions of the sale, and committed both the buyer and the seller to complete the purchase transaction within at least four months of certificate issuance. The bank assured that all contractual and program requirements had been met, and the program reviewer, PW, verified that all documentation was complete before the final disbursement of funds. This report on The Russian Officer's Resettlement Program, includes a brief description of the site selection, officer selection, briefing and administration followed by detailed site reports. February 8, 1996 3 PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE RUSSIAN MILITARY HOUSING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM Selection of Officers A. Eligibility Requirements 1. Participation in the Housing Certificate Program was strictly limited to officers demobilized and discharged from military service in the Baltic republics or other countries outside Russia. The eligible population was separated into the following three categories: a.) At least 80 percent of the recipients had be Russian military officers who were demobilized and departed from military service in the Baltics on or after January 28, 1992; b.) No more than 10 percent of the recipients were to be officers demobilized and departed from military service in the Baltics prior to January 28, 1992; c.) No more than 10 percent of the recipients were to be officers demobilized and departed from military service in other countries besides the Baltics and Russia on or after April 2, 1993. A minimum of eighty percent of the certificates were issued to officers in the first category listed above who had been designated by the Office of Social Assistance of the Russian Embassy and approved by the Ministry of Defense. An additional ten percent of the certificates were given to officers in the second category, who were also designated by the Russian Offices of Social Assistance in the Baltics and the Ministry of Defense to receive certificates. The final ten percent of certificates could be allocated to officers who served elsewhere (not in the Baltic republics or Russia), but who were discharged on or after April 2, 1993. The certificates in this final category could be given to officers designated by participating Oblasts/municipalities. In any case, however, no more than 10 percent of the total number of beneficiaries across all three categories were to be selected by municipal and Oblast authorities from local lists. 2. Officer eligibility were determined at three times during program administration: a. Preliminary determination of eligibility by the Russian Offices of Social Assistance in the Baltics and the Ministry of Defense, or local housing officials prior to placement on the list of eligibles. b. Confirmation of eligibility by local housing officials prior to issuance of a Certificate. c. Review of eligibility verification documents by the bank and the program reviewer (PW) prior to approval of purchase of the dwelling unit using certificate funds. B. Preparation of Officer Lists And Scheduling Briefings. Officers designated to receive housing certificates were normally processed in groups of between 30 and 50, most of who arrived together for their first briefing and verification of eligibility. Each group had a designated Group Coordinator to facilitate communications between the officers in the Baltics and municipal/Oblast housing officials. Other officers from local housing lists communicated directly with the municipal Housing Office. The steps in setting up the list of eligible officers were as follows: 1. Receipt of the list of eligible officers now living in the Baltics from Abt Associates Inc./Moscow. This list was transmitted to Abt Associates Inc. after review and approval by Russian Office of Social February 8, 1996 4 Assistance and the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. Ninety percent of the certificates issued by the Oblast had to be issued to officers drawn from this list. The Housing Office also identified applicants on the Municipal Housing Waiting List who had been discharged from military service and appeared to be eligible for the Military Certificate Program under the eligibility criteria. This task was completed jointly by the Housing Department and the Military Committee for the appropriate municipality. Ten percent of the certificates issued by the Oblast were issued to eligible officers drawn from the local housing waiting list. 2. Once officers were determined to be eligible, a file for each of the officers was created. 3. For officers designated by the Ministry of Defense, the relevant documents for the officer's file were provided by the officer upon his/her arrival and included the following: • Copy of Original Discharge Order with appropriate official stamp, indicating date, place and nature of discharge; • Original Official Russian Passport; • Official Verification of Family Size and Composition (for all family members that will be living in the home); • Official Verification of Current Residence in the Baltics (or elsewhere); • Sworn affidavit from Baltic's application that... 1 Upon obtaining housing under this program, officer and his/her family will vacate their present dwelling(s) in the Baltic States and will not seek permanent residency in any of the Baltic Republics, and will from then on enter the Baltics Republics only as foreign guests. 2 Officer and his/her family (a) neither own, nor will privatize or sell, any dwellings in the Baltics; and (b) have not received, nor will receive, any payments in connection with vacating any dwelling. 3 Officer and his/her family do not currently own housing in Russia. 4 Officer and his/her family have not made any payments to anyone to gain access to this program or to be placed on lists of people entitled to benefit from the program. 5 All information that is required for participation in this program and that is presented either orally or by signed documents, will be accurate, truthful and complete to the best of the officer's ability; with the further understanding that any false information will mean his/her exclusion from the Program and its benefits. 6 Officer understands that if he/she is found to be eligible to participate in the Program and if all Program terms and conditions are met, he/she will receive financial assistance for the purchase of a housing unit. 7 Officer is participating voluntarily in the Program, and understands that if he/she is currently on a municipal waiting list for housing and does not obtain a dwelling unit under this program, he/she will retain his/her place on the that February 8, 1996 5 waiting list. 4. For officers applying for the program from local housing lists, the following information were collected a. Application for housing to the Municipality; b. Documentation that prior to discharge the officer was most recently posted in the Baltic States or other countries outside of Russia (such as military passport); c. Official Military Discharge Document with the appropriate stamps, indicating serial number, date and place of discharge; d. Documentation of family size and composition; e. Official documentation and verification of current residence (temporary or permanent "propiska") and mailing address if different, telephone number and name of another person through whom officer can be contacted.; Officers who had returned to Russia as their place of residence also had to present: f. Documentation that the officer and his/her family vacated their previous dwelling in the Baltic States or other country outside of Russia and did not privatize it. g. Sworn statement that officer and family do not own another residence. h. Personal sworn statement that 1 Officer and his/her family have not made any payments to anyone to gain access to this program or to be placed on lists of people entitled to benefit from the program. 2 All information that is required for participation in this program and that is presented either orally or by signed documents, will be accurate, truthful and complete to the best of the officer's ability; with the further understanding that any false information will mean his/her exclusion from the Program and its benefits. 3 Officer understands that if he/she is found to be eligible to participate in the Program and if all Program terms and conditions are met, he/she will receive financial assistance for the purchase of a housing unit. 4 Officer is participating voluntarily in the Program, and understands that if he/she is currently on a municipal waiting list for housing and does not obtain a dwelling unit under this program, he/she will retain his/her place on the that waiting list. 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