Almost all apartments in multi-apartment buildings are private and non-residential premises also have their owners. According to law, in multi- apartment buildings all basic building constructions, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and other equipment that serves to more than one apartment, as well as buildings that meet the needs of all apartment owners, belong to owners of apartments and owners of commercial premises as joint ownership of common areas. The Constitution and the Civil Code of Ukraine rely on the owner the duty of keeping the property.
However, people usually do not feel responsible for the maintenance of common property. To promote the reform of Housing it is necessary to collect, document and disseminate success stories of ACMHs.
UNDP Project "Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme", implemented under support of the Swiss Confederation and the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine, announced a competition for the best publication dedicated to highlighting success stories of associations of co-owners of multi-apartment houses (ACMH) and successful practices of ACMH support at the local level.
Staff and non-staff journalists of all kinds of media (newspapers, television, radio, Internet) are invited to participate in the contest, whose materials on ACMHs were published starting from January 1, 2012 to November 1, 2012. The applications will be received till November 15, 2012 inclusive. Winners will receive prizes - cameras, recorders, data flash drives, other participants will receive the honorary awards and souvenirs from the UN Office in Ukraine and the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing of Ukraine.
Advantage will bill be given to the stories highlighting successful practices of work of ACMHs in Ukraine.
In the jury includes:
Olga Mashtakova, assistant to the Minister of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine;
Vira Radchenko, Deputy Director of Housing department of Ministry of Regional Development, Construction and Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine;
Yevgeniy Zelenko, UNDP Communications Officer;
Iryna Skaliy, Project Manager, UNDP/MGSDP;
Leonid Tulovsky, Quality Management officer, UNDP/MGSDP;
The jury will assess the following criteria:
The level of compliance with journalistic standards, balance of material;
The disclosure of ACMH success story;
The educational role of publication (encouraging communities to follow best practices);
Originality of the topic disclosure;
The publication must include successful examples of how ACMHs (either supported by Government or not) improve their living conditions, and therefore the quality of life.
Publications should be sent to Galyna Smirnova, UNDP/MGSDP Monitoring and Communications Officer by e-mail: galyna.smirnova@undp.org or by fax (044 584 34 76) together with the filled questionnaire.
After that, the publication will be posted on UNDP/MGSDP website http://msdp.undp.org.ua/ and will be offered as the sharing of experience to other regional media (preserving authorship).
The winners will be awarded in three nominations:
Best analytical material;
Best Reporting material;
Best radio and video;
Everyone who is professionally engaged in journalism in Ukraine - regardless of age, type of media (newspapers, Internet, radio and television), genre and the industry of journalism, and region of residence- is invited to participate. One person can simultaneously submit in several nominations, there are no restrictions on the number of applications for participation in the competition. Thus, a separate application should be made for each submission.
Reference
ACMH is a legal form that successfully helps residents to solve specific tasks regarding operation and maintenance of buildings. UNDP Project "Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme", implemented under support of the Swiss Confederation, and promotes efficient work ACMHs in municipalities by providing consultations and training for ACMH members, providing co-financing for community projects.
For more than 8 years of work in 29 municipalities of Ukraine, the UNDP/MGSDP supported 301 community projects to solve priority problems identified by members of the organizations. Of these, 185 projects are ACMH projects, service cooperatives, housing committees, which were aimed at repairing basement pipes, heating, sewage, water, roofs, facades and others. Community projects for 2010-2012 can be found at the link, the list of supported projects is included to the Project Report. At the local level, municipal coordinators work in 29 municipalities to mobilize local communities, provide consultations to ACMHs.
