How would affordable or social housing work in your world? To rent I mean...
I think there's an issue with expectations/entitlement....
I've grow up in social housing but never expected to receive social housing.
I live in an area where there's limited housing but likely small but very vocal group of freeloaders in the area expects to be given housing.
We had one chap that heard that there was some new affordable housing being built and expected to get two homes for his two adult childern still living at home.
Those are the people who moan when "non locals" buying or renting houses in the area... but they seem to forget that we boarder three areas that are much wealthier areas. I'm all for it as it brings in more wealth into the area.
My first act to fix social/affordable housing would be for housing benefits to be paid directly to landlords again.. this should bring down the cost and make more retails available again.
One of the biggest issues is when housing benefits are no longer paid directly to landlords, landlords are accpeting higher risks renting to DSS and then not receiving payment and my brother has had this issue. While landlords can't explicitly say "no dss", they can price their property over the DSS amount and not accept guarantors, or over price their property to cover the risk/costs of non payments.
My second act would be setup up a national social housing agency, matching renters with properties. If you need a house, they will find you one that is suitable or place you on a list in areas for when a suitable house becomes available. In theory; landlords will be renting to the agency and renters are renting from the agency, so if the property becomes more suitable, you may be asked to move in.. if the property you're renting is no longer suitable, you may be asked to move to anothe place.
None of this BS, of an old couple living in a three/four bedroom house by themselves as their kids have all grown up and moved out.. none of this BS of people only wanting houses in certain areas because their friends or family are there. Harsh as it might sound, but they have the choice of buying a house that they want to live in, renting a home privately that they want to live in or if they want a heavily discounted housing; they don't get the luxury.
My third act would be no empty properties for over 12 months. Once a property that is up for rent or sale is on the market for over 12 months and empty, it get's handed over to the national social housing agency who will pay the regional average to rent it from the owner. Unless a property is under development therefore not fit to live in, someone should be living in it. This will bring down the prices of both renting and buying houses..
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