In Almaty's Alatau district, residents of nine apartment blocks in the large Akkent-3 residential complex have appealed to city authorities for help, saying the facades of their buildings are in a dangerous condition, the website infohub.kz reports.
A petition from residents of buildings No. 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 at the Akkent-3 complex has been published on the e-Petition portal. They claim the facades of the apartment buildings are in an "unsatisfactory and potentially dangerous condition."
"In some areas, the cladding panels are peeling off and falling, creating a real threat to the lives and health of residents, including children," the authors of the appeal write.
According to the residents, a significant share of the apartments in these buildings belongs to the state and municipal housing stock, and in some buildings the share of state housing is said to be around 70%.
The petition asks the Almaty city administration to carry out a technical inspection of the facades of all nine buildings and to consider a comprehensive overhaul, reconstruction or renovation at the expense of the local budget — through the "Participatory Budget" mechanism, the program for shaping a unified architectural appearance, or another budget mechanism provided for by law.
"We ask that this problem not be placed solely on private owners through loans, but that the state's role as a major owner of premises in these buildings be taken into account. This is above all about the safety of citizens and the need to prevent possible accidents," the petition says.