Innovative approaches to the local self-government under conditions of the of housing and communal services reform (the experience of Nizhny Novgorod)

The reforming of the housing and public utilities faces many serious problems which today create social tension. One of the causes of these problems is the lack of the communication between local authorities and citizens, as well as the low level of the social activity. The author considers innovative approaches, which were used by the Nizhny Novgorod local authorities in order to jointly solve the housing problems. The activities of the institute of the seniors, the invention of the council of apartment building as a form of self-organization of the owners are determined by their role and importance in the overall system of the local government in the situation of reforms. The study suggests that the creation of the favorable conditions, realized by the Nizhny Novgorod local authorities, in practice contribute to the solution of the existing problems and strengthen the interaction between government and citizens, as well as help to realize the important social-significant projects and programs.