1) Install packages
$ apt-get install subversion
2) Create sample repos:
$ svnadmin create /var/svn/home
3) Run as a service:
a) make sure inted is installed and configured
$ apt-get install inetd
$ vi /etc/services and insert:
svn 3690/tcp # Subversion
svn 3690/udp # Subversion
$ vi /etc/inetd.conf
svn stream tcp nowait svn /usr/bin/svnserve svnserve -i -r /var/svn
{the svnowner is the userid, so make sure it exists}
4) Make sure your user-id has write perms to the repos created above by the svn user