ABSTRACT
The patterns of population growth and tenure change between 1949 and 1989 are outlined in Table 10.1. During the 40 years between 1949 and 1989 the number of flats per 1000 inhabitants increased from 268 to 373 in Hungary. This fairly moderate (40 per cent) increase occurred alongside a very low (15 per cent) increase in the population. The 60 per cent increase in the housing stock was coupled with a 25 per cent decrease in flats rented from the state. The housing stock
increased most rapidly between 1970 and 1980 when the housing stock rented from the state had started to decrease. It is this phenomenon which deserves special attention (Farkas and Vajda 1990). Central planning and redistribution had lost control over a fairly significant part of housing and the most important element of family budgets. This significantly modified ownership relations, changed family budgets and shook fundamental ideological taboos.
