Housing and Ethnicity in Soviet Tartu

Research on residential and housing inequality in the cities under central planning
has a long tradition. However, previous studies have mostly focused on age and social
segregation, while ethnic di.fferences have been poorly investigated. This research
clarifies the ethnic di.fferences in housing ownership and living conditions in Tartu,
Estonia, in the Sovi et period. We use individual-level data from the 1989 census and
multivariate analysis. Our analysis shows that, first, non-Estonians had better access
ta state housing than Estonians. The ethnic di.fferences decrease, but remain significant
when controlling for compositional di.fferences. Second, it appears that Estonians
had more living space, while non-Estonians lived in more comfortable conditions.
Di.fferences in housing ownership and population composition explain most af
the ethnic di.fferences in housing size, but the di.fferences in housingfacilities remain.
We argue that both the state policy and the di.fferent traditions and values were responsible
for the housing di.fferences between Estonians and non-Estonians in Tartu
during the Soviet period. The role af the pre-WWII legacy should be considered as well.