Unfinished houses: Many families had begun to build their own homes after the collapse of Soviet Union.With the ensuing economic crisis, homes were left unfinished - thousands of these foundations and semi-structures can be seen littering the countryside. Many families live in the dark and dump basements of such houses unable to complete them. Fuller Center Armenia recognized this as an opportunity to leverage resources already invested in housing solutions. Therefore, the program can help two or three families rather than one, since completing a half-built is more economical than beginning construction anew.
Broken and leaking asbestos roofs: Because of heavy rains, and lack of maintenance, the roofs of many Armenian houses are severely deteriorated - slates are often broken, and rainwater leaks in. Besides, most roofs are made of asbestos, which is a hazard for the health of the residents. Fuller Center replaces broken asbestos roofs with corrugated tin roofs on timber framework.
Deteriorated housing stock: The economic difficulties of the past decade have left their mark on the existing housing stock. More than a decade of insufficient investment in maintenance and repair as well as in housing infrastructure has resulted in a deteriorating housing stock and inadequate provision with housing utility services. Recognizing this problem and aiming at the preservation of existing housing stock, Fuller Center Armenia also provides opportunities to the families to renovate their house.
No sanitation systems: In rural areas, where Fuller Center Armenia works predominantly, only 14.2% of houses are equipped with basic amenities (kitchen, toilet with draining system, bathroom). Fuller Center Armenia helps families to install a sanitation system in their homes promoting the maintenance of hygiene and healthy living conditions.
No heating system: More than a decade of insufficient investment in maintenance and repair as well as in housing infrastructure has resulted in a deteriorating housing stock and inadequate provision with housing utility services.Recognizing this problem and aiming at the preservation of existing housing stock, Fuller Center Armenia also provides opportunities to the families to renovate their house and to install heating systems.
Overcrowding: Several related families and multiple generations of one family often crowd into small apartments. The living space per person is far below the minimum set by the Armenian government. Not only does this situation threaten people's physical health, but it contributes to a variety of psychological and family problems, including increased divorce rates.
Other: In places where prices are still moderate and affordable, Fuller Center Armenia assists families living in domiks or in overcrowded conditions to purchase a house or an apartment.
According to UNECE report, of the approximately 800,000 families living in Armenia, about 40,000 or 5% are without permanent shelter. About 40% of them live in temporary structures, in most cases metal shipping containers, so-called domics. Dormitories and damaged unsafe housing provide shelter to 10% of the households living in temporary shelters. Others live in former hotels, schools and kindergartens which were converted to temporary housing. Alongside those without permanent shelter are the tens of thousands of families requiring better housing conditions. Altogether it is estimated that approximately 100,000 households are either without permanent housing or need urgent assistance owing to, among other things, overcrowding. The real estate market in Armenia has experienced dramatic growth in volume, and prices have consistently increased over the last five years. The majority of residential construction targets wealthy customers, and is not accessible even to the middle class. The construction boom has driven a rapid boost in the Price Index for Construction with continuing trends making it extremely hard for low income groups to build or renovate their homes. Homelessness and housing poverty have grave material and psychological consequences for the families and society, which are in complex cause and consequence relations and create a closed cycle of poverty.