Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced in February that Moscow’s remaining post-war, pre-fabricated apartments — affectionately known as Khrushchevki — would be demolished over the coming years.
He said that 1.6 million Muscovites lived in the low-rise buildings, which he described as “uncomfortable, largely dilapidated housing.”
City Hall has pledged to rehouse residents affected by the plans, providing them with a new apartment “equal in size” to their former home. Sobyanin also announced on Friday that residents could opt for a cash payment instead.
Many Muscovites have been quick to rally against plans, with some concerned that replacement apartments could be worth less than their original property.
Others are worried that developers will replace the buildings with high-rise apartment blocks in order to increase profits, overwhelming local infrastructure.
