Should the state provide cheap housing for low-income earners?

Question

Why? British and american /english people pls help?

Answer 1

I think it depends on whether they are low income by choice or not. For example people disabled or made redundant late in life are likely to be on low income through no fault of their own and therefore are deserving of support.

People who leave university with a degree and decide to 'take a year off' before working to pay off their student loan or people who take casual, part time work or other such work which they are under qualified for because it is easy are making a choice and therefore should take full responsibility for it by financing their lifestyle independantly.

Answer 2

Yes, i think low-income should be available. We have it here in the United States, and it doesn't suit my needs. There were some years I could have used it. The waiting lists are long, and you have to fake a scene, or lie, or get evicted.
In some cities, the laws are so tough, if you break those laws it is almost certain you will go to prison. Many persons with drug addictions live in this city, and if they don't break the income laws, they live there for life.
In the next city, families can get apartments close to each other, it is very friendly in some areas, and the places are nice, although it is very controlled.
There is a housing department which provides lists of low-rent places, and they are considered free (no income restrictions) rentals.
For the disabled and elderly, low-income housing is a must for the area I now live in. I pay two-thirds more rent than in a different part of the United States, and it is much colder here.
I don't see how the average couple affords housing where the normal price is one quarter million dollars, and a few thousand less for a condominium. There are very few houses below this price. A few states away, the price is closer to $100,000 or less for a good, affordable house, with a park, good shopping centers, public transportation, schools, churches, libraries, neighborhood groups, etc.
Transitional housing is needed, where it isn't a shelter, or long-term low income housing. Places where the average stay is 6-12 months, where storage is available, and a chance for training, and to settle into a job.
There is some transitional housing here, and it is abused. Some families stay on by bullying the newer residents,and getting their living arrangements, and supplying management with favors, (drugs,sex, etc). Some residents are disabled and belong in housing where their needs are met. No one in the transitional housing works. They all collect and should be in low-income. A few are students, which is alright. If you work your car is vandalized. The students cars are vandalized and they hide these.
Settled communities, like council housing for the working, we don't have in this area of the United States. Some cities do, and it is good housing, at a good price. I moved two times before I could find housing I liked in a community where there are workers. I am very grateful for the housing I have, the air is clean, and the water is good.
For the months I searched, I lived in fear all the time, and felt the search would never end. I am still speechless at how hard it is to find good decent housing in this area of the United States. I hope to God I never have to move again, and I can't ever imagine purchasing a home in this area. Thank you.
Mrs. Marissa G. DiBartolo

Answer 3

Good housing with good sanitation is very useful for the state.
It provides a more healthy workforce which is more productive and less of a cost on the NHS.

In some parts of the country housing costs have risen out of proportion to salaries and even professionals earning above the national average wage are unable to afford the private market rents or borrow for a mortgage. The state then needs these 'key workers' to be housed within a reasonable distance of their work environment.
Nurses,Paramedics, Teachers, Police, Fire crews, Armed Forces would be obvious candidates but there may be many others

Answer 4

Excellent answer Graham H! I have an example, which is very true to support your answer.

I got divorced in 1993 while I was in the Army. My ex-wife move to Kansas and subsequently moved in to low income housing. She lived in low income housing, while working a job that paid barely above minimum wage. She did not have to claim the $500 a month I paid in child support as income for low income housing. She got fired from her job and took an even lower paying job as a newspaper delivery person so that she could stay in low income housing for five years. She paid $150 a month to live there and all utilities were paid for. When you took away the child support from my income and added it to hers, she made more money a month than I did. She made $350 a month payments on a brand new car while I was driving a hunk of junk for six years.

The system is abused, and should be monitored a little better.

Answer 5

I think it is the only way that people are going to be able to get a roof over their heads.
The price of an average house these days is way out of reach of even a relatively well-off person.
The reason for this is the number of people the government, a Labour government, has let into the country.
This is a political party that was founded to look after the less fortunate, what a bloody disgrace they are!

Answer 6

Yes it should.

Water, food and somewhere to live (along with safety and dignity) are basic human rights. No one should have to pay for these things and that is the actual purpose of a nation state, to provide people with what they need.

Renting or mortgaging a house on a low income is one of the biggest reasons the poor stay poor (and the rich stay rich)

Answer 7

All houses should be owned by the state, we could then allocate the houses due to needs. The houses would be maintained by their occupants in order to receive a council tax reduction. Those who did not maintain their home to a decent level of repair would be charged and have possesions taken to pay if they pleaded poverty.

Answer 8

Yes however, it should be limited to a time scale of lets say 1-2 years so the family or individual can be monitored to see if they are actually trying to get work. They should also offer personal finance courses to these individuals so they learn not to live check to check. Once the time is up they are kicked out to fend for them selves. I can't stand my tax dollars going into supporting people indefinitely.

Answer 9

the state should provide cheap housing It does in comparrison to private renting.

Answer 10

yes, but i believe in buying by rent,cheap rent housing that willeventualy be yours or you kids. also i believe that people with large gardens capable of fitting a mobile home on, should be able to rent the space, in particular mam and dad should be able to claim son or daughter and have them live on their property in mobile home, if land is big enough. farmers with unused land should be easy for them to make tiny mobile or log cabin villages for locals that cant afford house.