The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation drew attention to the history in the Tula region. A resident of the village of Lipki, who is wheelchair-bound, has not been able to leave her house for more than two years: there is no ramp in the entrance where she lives. She contacted the local administration more than once, but it did not bring results.
At the request of the MEDIA TALK agency, the Administration of the Kireyevsky district Municipality replied that it was not possible to place any additional equipment here.: "It is not possible to place additional equipment (an inclined lift for MGN) in entrance No. 3 due to a decrease in the width of the escape route up the stairs to values that do not meet the requirements of clause 4.4.1 of SP 1.13130 (less than 1.05 m) when placing lifting device structures on the wall (partition) adjacent to the staircase route. The placement of a ramp (both stationary and inventory) corresponding to the overall parameters (width, slope) of the requirements of clause 6.2.9. SP 59.13330.2020 is not possible due to the limited actual dimensions of the stairwell in entrance No. 3 (staircases, platforms). " Such conclusions were made based on the results of two commissions, which were held on the basis of an appeal from a resident of the house in 2021 and 2023.
Photo: ru.freepik.com
And there are a lot of such stories, Oleg Starostin, chairman of the Mytishchi regional organization of the All–Russian Society for the Disabled, noted in an interview with the MEDIA TALK agency, immediately recalling another example from the same Tula region: "My friends from Mytishchi moved to Tula, they have an apartment there on the ground floor. They are a married couple, both in wheelchairs. The husband is more active, he leaves the house, they have made a ramp, which he can climb, though not without difficulty. Since the apartment is on the ground floor, the idea came up to make an exit directly from the apartment. We fought our way for two years, with all the funds, defenders, and involvement of the governor. And just recently, the project was agreed upon and even an investor was found, who allocated more than a million rubles for an individual ramp. After two years of seclusion, people got the opportunity to leave their homes!"
The construction, which was built according to an individual project, is impressive. Unfortunately, this case is one of the miracles.
Starostin considers this problem to be one of the most acute. He notes that housing construction was divided into eras – Stalinist, Brezhnev, Khrushchev. It is not possible to install a lift on a flight of stairs with a step height of 13 centimeters and a span width of 1 meter and 20 centimeters."
Oleg Starostin himself, being a wheelchair user, knows firsthand how difficult it is to organize access to his own housing, a man goes outside only thanks to the strength of his hands.
Photo and video: Oleg Starostin / MEDIA-TALK
"My house was built according to the so–called Vladimir project - there is a canopy in front of the entrance. I offered to install doors and double-glazed windows at my own expense, and make a warm vestibule from which I could climb the elevator from acceleration. But here again there is a contradiction to fire regulations. The width of the span for implementation should be 160, not 120 cm. Twenty meters is the point that does not allow us to move on. Now there are two doors, as a rule, in the vestibules. Another option is to install one warm door instead of two, thereby saving space and freeing it up for a collapsible elevator. Then, with the help of a second person, you can get up, while not having to drag a person in a wheelchair. My wife was carrying it, and she already tore off her back, of course. I climbed the 6 steps to the elevator in the entrance myself – due to the strength of my arms, I earned problems with my elbow joints, bursitis. Now, after some treatment, I've gained weight, and I can't lift myself. Now I'm designing a winch. It's good that the neighbors on the ground floor don't mind that I implant a hook in the wall. She's going to be hanging there, and that's how I'm going to get out of the situation," Oleg shared.
It turns out that everyone, finding themselves in such a situation, has to invent something for themselves individually, like a Kulibin. There is no single solution. And the law is on the side of the disabled only formally. The rights of persons with disabilities are enshrined in FZ- 462. There is also a government Decree No. 649 "Rules for ensuring accessibility conditions for the disabled of residential premises and common property in the MCD."
"In order to install a ramp at the place of residence, it is necessary to submit an application to the social protection authorities, provide documents confirming the right to property, a certificate of disability and a passport. Specify the type of construction – ramp, platform, folding structure. Next, a commission should be held, which decides whether it is possible to renovate this house taking into account the needs of a disabled person. This report is sent to the head of the municipality within 10 days (the disabled person receives a copy of it). The ramp should be installed by the social protection authorities, and the management company will be responsible for maintenance. A general meeting of the owners is not required in this case," says lawyer Natalia Patrusheva. If the requirements are not met, the owner has the right to apply to the Prosecutor's Office or the court.
However, if the commission recognizes the impossibility of installing additional equipment and this contradicts the requirements of fire safety, then the supervisory authorities will be powerless and the ramp will not appear in the entrance.
The buildings of the 20th century are not actually suitable for people with disabilities. And not everyone can apply for social housing in new homes that meet the requirements. The conditions are described in detail in Article 28.2 of Federal Law No. 181 "On Social Protection of Persons with Disabilities in the Russian Federation" and are relevant only for those who registered before January 1, 2005. The fact that a person needs to improve their living conditions still needs to be substantiated. And this is not the only requirement. Persons with disabilities who are registered after the specified date are provided with housing in accordance with housing legislation, the press service of the All-Russian Society of the Disabled explained. It's no secret that waiting can take years.
Oleg Starostin, chairman of the Mytishchi regional organization of the All-Russian Society of the Disabled, drew attention to one more nuance during the conversation: the law does not prohibit the transfer of social housing to the commercial plane. This means that apartments obtained for people with special needs can later be sold to anyone, and not necessarily to those who need them.
Nevertheless, there are positive changes in solving the problems of people with disabilities. So, starting from January 2025 in Russia, it is now possible to obtain technical rehabilitation equipment in two ways: in kind through public procurement or using an electronic certificate. The Social Fund explained that the latter method will significantly speed up obtaining the necessary equipment. The implementation of the state program "Accessible Environment" is also continuing. As noted in the press service of the All-Russian Society of the Disabled, significant results have already been achieved in this area. This is especially noticeable in large cities – almost all social institutions are accessible. However, to get to the bus stop and get to the right institution, you just need to leave the house first. But this is the most acute problem for people with disabilities. Apartment buildings suitable for comfortable movement of a person in a wheelchair began to be built only in the 21st century. Most of the housing stock in our country comes from the 20th century, and even sometimes the 19th century. This is where the "point of no return" comes, with a flight of stairs 120 centimeters wide.
Earlier we told you that more than 1300 Krasnoyarsk citizens with disabilities were able to find a job this year.
