Rural housing development in the Kursk region in the 1950-s and 1980-s

Relevance. The Party and the government of the USSR, paying close attention to erasing the differences between the city and the countryside, launched an extensive state program of rural housing construction. This program was based on the construction of economical and well-equipped residential buildings using standard designs that took into account the specific characteristics of rural areas and the increased demands of the population for better living conditions. The study of the Soviet experience in rural development based on individual master plans can be useful in modern conditions. Purpose. To analyze the process of rural housing construction in the Kursk region in the 1950-s and 1980-s. Objectives: to study the legal framework for rural housing construction and identify problems with its implementation in the Kursk region. Methodology. The study used the following methods of scientific cognition: historical, idiographic, analysis, synthesis, and generalization. Results. Rural housing construction in the Kursk region was accompanied by numerous difficulties. These difficulties were related to the delay in developing master plans, poor organization of work, and irregular supply of construction materials and equipment. Mechanization was not used properly, and there was a lack of clear labor discipline. The constant monitoring by the regional authorities failed to align the rural housing construction process with the work plan. Conclusion. During the study period, active rural housing construction was carried out in the Kursk region. However, despite the directives issued by the regional authorities and the planning of rural development, rural housing construction lagged behind the planned targets. This was due to shortcomings in the work of both design and construction organizations. The shortage of construction materials and insufficient funding hindered the implementation of plans for the construction of residential facilities in rural areas. Nevertheless, during the period under study, the old village was replaced by a new collective farm village with a new way of life, new types of buildings, and a new appearance.