Soviet housing policy in areas of new development: an experience of the Baikal-Amur mainline

The Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) has a special place among the new development areas. The old Soviet approaches to the socio-economic development of new territories gave way to new ones, based on the recognition of the material interests of workers. In order to attract people to BAM various methods were used, including rapid solution of the housing problem, preventing housing shortages and spontaneous growth of temporary housing and squatters. At the early period, the BAM project house building occurred along the planned scenario. In the late 1970s, the Soviet state lost control over the housing sector, and the dwelling construction activity took illegal forms. The article brings different reasons of it. At the final stage of the BAM project, the government tried to take control over the housing development again. However, the crisis in the country and disintegration of the Soviet state stopped the process. The BAM project has created many problems that complicate the lives of people now.