Urban environment quality and quality of living patterns are the key factors for Russian cities’ competitiveness increase. They both are to a large extent driven by the housing economy characteristics. The article provides analysis of basic trends in housing economy of Russian cities including: housing consumption; structure of housing and ownership rights; housing price dynamics and the level of housing affordability; condition of housing stock and utility infrastructure, investment in renovation of the housing stock; state of competition at hosing market and supply elasticity to demand for differentiated and good quality urban environment; state regulation of the housing economy — support for demand and supply, taxation policies.

The results of analysis of the legislation of Moscow in the regulation of matters of legal limits seizure of immovable property from private owners, tenants and other owners for public use. Demonstrated that the Moscow law contradicts federal law, unreasonably extending the limits seizure of immovable property. It is concluded that this approach only create the appearance of legality.