Ukraine to expand affordable housing

Ukraine will continue an affordable housing program under which the state would pay 30 percent of home purchase costs for low-income and young families, a senior official said. This year the government would enhance the initiative by modernizing central heating and water supply, drainage and repair of elevators in old buildings, First Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vilkul told a meeting Wednesday. The government would also increase purchase of essential construction materials from domestic suppliers to encourage local production, he said. Ukraine has spent about 1 billion U.S. dollars in the program since it was launched last year and more than 4,000 families have received state housing assistance.