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Band 9 essay sample: Should government provide free housing to the poor?

by Manjusha Nambiar · Published October 9, 2015 · Updated April 21, 2024

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Global economy may have developed considerably over the last few decades; however, millions of people still do not have homes. This problem is particularly worse in developing and undeveloped countries. Some people argue that the government should take care of this situation by providing free housing to the poor. That demand certainly sounds logical; however, I don’t think that it is the best solution.

To start with, the government can’t provide free housing to all poor people. Any such attempt will put too much pressure on the public exchequer. The government already has a lot of other things to take care of. For example, in India, the government provides free education and free medical care through government schools and hospitals. Many government colleges and universities even provide higher education free of cost. There are also several government schemes for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers in urban areas. In the tribal areas, too, the government provides free housing to the homeless.

Having said that, providing free homes to all poor people in the country does not seem possible. A better solution is to make homes more affordable. If homes are unaffordable, that is because of the exorbitant land prices. The government can make homes less expensive by allotting government land at concessional rates and waiving taxes on the homes built on this land. Low cost housing projects can be launched all over the country. Only basic amenities should be provided in these homes to make them more affordable.

To conclude, although I do not think that government should provide free housing to all homeless people in the country, I am in favour of the government launching low cost housing projects. The government should also consider giving free land to the landless. These initiatives will certainly make homes more affordable and solve the problems of the poor to a great extent.

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Four reasons why more public housing isn’t the solution to affordability concerns

Subscribe to the brookings metro update, jenny schuetz jenny schuetz senior fellow - brookings metro @jenny_schuetz.

January 14, 2021

With President-elect Joe Biden about to take office bolstered by Democratic control of both the House and Senate, left-leaning wonks and activists are putting together wish lists for new legislation across a myriad of issues and policy arenas.

Housing is a big one. A recent idea that’s drawing attention among housing activists—and some legislators —is to repeal the Faircloth Amendment, which bans new construction of public housing. For low-income families , the struggle to afford decent-quality, stable housing was an urgent problem long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing more housing support should be a priority for the incoming administration.

However, expecting local housing authorities to develop large public housing portfolios is not an effective solution. And focusing debate on the Faircloth Amendment is a red herring—a political distraction from more tangible obstacles to low-cost housing.

Below are four reasons why building more public housing is not a cure-all for the nation’s housing woes—as well as ideas for more effective solutions advocates can push for in the months ahead.

Land availability and local zoning are the main obstacles to subsidized housing

Building subsidized housing—or for that matter, market rate rental housing—is illegal in most parts of the U.S. Local zoning laws prohibit structures other than single-family detached homes on the majority of land across cities and suburbs.

Repealing the Faircloth Amendment does nothing to address this problem. Nor is this a new issue: Public housing developed from the 1950s through 1970s was largely built in poor, racially segregated neighborhoods , because that’s where government agencies could acquire land—and where middle-class white voters didn’t protest too vehemently.

Where people live—and especially where children grow up —is critical to long-term well-being, including life expectancy, health, and income. Absent any serious plan to legalize apartments in high-opportunity communities, proposals to build more public housing will only exacerbate racial and economic segregation—to the harm of low-income families.

Public agencies aren’t designed to be real estate developers

Proposals for “the government” to build public housing are often vague about which agency or department they mean. While funding for public housing originates at the federal level, the properties are operated by more than 3,300 local housing authorities across the country. And most of them don’t have recent experience with new construction—a long, complicated, risky business under the best of circumstances. Public agencies operate under more rigid rules and processes than private sector companies as well; for instance, procurement and labor requirements that make construction substantially more difficult and more expensive.

Today, nearly all new subsidized housing is built and managed by specialized nonprofit or for-profit developers . So, despite those calls for “the government” to build more housing, most housing authorities don’t have the capacity or the desire to undertake new construction projects.

High-quality subsidized housing needs a long-term commitment, not a brief flirtation

As any homeowner knows, maintaining a home in good condition requires ongoing investments of time and money. In that sense, most existing public housing properties have been slowly deteriorating for decades, plagued by water damage, mold, vermin infestations, and aging mechanical systems. In 2017, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson was famously trapped in a malfunctioning elevator while visiting a Miami high-rise project. With that in mind, why would housing authorities sign up to build more apartments when they already face enormous maintenance backlogs and insufficient capital funds?

The federal government’s history of infrastructure funding is like parents who buy their 16-year-old a new car, then refuse to chip in for insurance, gas, or repairs. (See also: unmet capital needs for roads, bridges, and subways .)

Writer Noah Smith recently proposed that the U.S. adopt a public housing model like Singapore, where the government builds apartments and then sells them at low prices to households. But even that doesn’t solve the problem, instead merely shifting the burden of future maintenance expenses onto households—a problem familiar to many low-income homeowners in the U.S. today.

Other types of housing subsidy give taxpayers more bang for their buck

Constructing new housing is expensive, especially in coastal metro areas where affordability problems are most acute. Developing subsidized housing is—paradoxically— more expensive than market rate housing, because of the complexity of assembling financing. New construction is also slow: It can take a decade or longer to complete subsidized apartments in tightly regulated markets.

If the goal of federal policymakers is to help as many low-income households as possible, then a strategy of newly constructed public housing is perhaps the least effective path. Increasing funds for housing vouchers or for the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing apartments through the National Housing Trust Fund would stretch subsidy dollars to cover many more households more quickly, and often in higher-opportunity neighborhoods . Shoring up the long-term physical and financial viability of existing subsidized properties—such as through HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program—would also be more cost effective than new construction.

In sum, helping low-income families gain access to good-quality, stable, affordable housing in high-opportunity neighborhoods should be a goal of the incoming Biden administration and the new Congress. But building more public housing is the wrong way to achieve that goal.

Housing Essays

by Tam Nguyen

In some countries, most people prefer to rent their homes rather than buying them. What are the advantages and disadvantages of renting a home? Purchasing a house is getting more expensive as it is a part of human needs. While some people prefer to rent their homes rather than owning them, there are some drawbacks to consider. This essay will discuss some advantages and disadvantages of renting a house. One of the best benefits of just renting a property would be, in my view, job requirements in which you occasionally need to move to a whole another city to keep working at a certain position. When it comes to looking for a place to live, renting a house for a reasonable price should definitely be considered as your company may change your department again. Another reason for not buying a house is the high prices which a huge number of individuals are not able to afford. Unless you worked and saved half of your salary for about 15 years, it is nearly impossible to buy a home. However, homeowners are not always predictable. When someone rents a house it will be inevitable to be kicked out of the house, because your homeowner decided to sell the house instead of renting it. Moreover, they might not always be comfortable, when you have some relatives or friends over. For instance, I recently rented a home, and the homeowner warned me that he would not allow me to invite my girlfriend to the house, as he thought it was inappropriate. To sum up, In my opinion, considering advantages outcome disadvantages in terms of renting a home, when left with a choice, it is a better option to not squander one's money on buying a house.

Building Homes in the Countryside Essay

by Yami (Saudi Arabia)

In many places, new homes are needed, but the only space available for building them is in the countryside. Some people believe it is more important to protect the countryside and so new homes should not be built there. What is your opinion about this? these days, with the great expansion of cities and population, many people are considering building houses in places outside cities, like the rural areas. While many people are saying it is a bad idea, I believe it is a great thing for people to do so with many merits that I will elaborate more about. first of all, constructing new houses in the countryside has a crucial benefit in regard to the financial aspects. with this said, the expansion of the population will force many individuals with low economic status to go and live in the rural areas due to the low prices of owning a home there. to give an example for this, if owning a single room in city costs around fifty thousand dollars, with the same price tag you can buy a four bedroom apartment. thus, it is a better option for those who wants to save money. going to my second point, I would like to say that it is better for individuals to build houses there to enjoy the beautiful wonders of mother nature. nowadays, many individuals tend to choose to go out and have a great time while they are enjoying the natural beauty of the countryside. Occasionally, people construct houses there just to live there temporarily during holidays and leisure time. finally, despite many people claiming that constructing new homes may cause damage the countryside environment, with strict laws and spreading awareness , one can easily manage to keep the environment clean. in conclusion, many people at present focus solely on the negative aspects of building a home in the countryside while ignoring many great benefits someone might harvest from such investment like the financial and enjoying a great view there.

Owning or Renting a Home Essay

by Khang Cao (Vietnam)

In some countries, owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people. Why might this be the case? Do you think this is a positive or negative situation? Everyone needs food to eat, water to drink and a shelter to settle in. In the past, owning a home was a symbol of wealth, success and stability. However, as the modern civilisation advancing, the mindset has changed a lot. Nowadays, there are some people thinking that having a house is no longer important as it was in the past. Generally speaking, renting a house is a rising trend these days, but why there are still people assuming that renting a house is nothing compared to having one? In many Asian countries, there has always been an invisible pressure put on men since they were born. Those can be academic achievements, success in career via various ways such as being in the top of a school, having a high-paying job or obviously, owning a private accommodation. Because of the conservative ideology, Asians usually consider a house is an indicator of prosperity and high-tier social status, not only for themselves but also for their families and children. Moreover, people usually want to claim ownership, and this is not new throughout human history. Take colonies, for example, people always desire something that they can have absolute control over it. While a rent house may not satisfy your demand because you have minimal rights to do anything you want with it. As mentioned above, renting a house has some certain disadvantages. Firstly, it is definitely not a long-term investment even though you can avoid mortgage deposit and other taxes, but you will be under the supervision of the landlord all the time. For example, you cannot renovate or redecorate your home at all without the landlord’s permission. Next, if you choose this type of housing, you may take risk of being moved multiple times due to limited vacancies or property sale from the landlord. Last but not least, since the proprietor is in charge, he or she might suddenly raise the rent, and that is a really big issue when you are in the condition of insufficient finance. Bottom line, possessing a house is better than renting one. Although you may have to be responsible for repairs, remodelling or pay land-related additional fees, it is yours and always be. No matter what happens to you, remember there is always a home awaiting you to come back. (380 words)

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Made by History

America Needs a New Approach on Affordable Housing. History Offers a Guide

Kansas City Tenants Host Rally To End Evictions

T he U.S. has a housing crisis — one only growing more serious with each day. In the District of Columbia, a recent report by the Urban Institute found that 12% of the city’s population of more than 82,000 residents does not have stable housing. The majority of D.C. residents navigating housing insecurity are people of color, a reality reflected across the country.

The Biden Administration has recognized that housing insecurity is a problem that it can’t ignore, in part because it affects the confidence Americans have about the economy. On Thursday, the Administration announced a bold series of policy proposals , which deployed a public-private approach focused on changing exclusionary zoning, expanding the financing options for affordable housing, and promoting the conversion of empty office space into apartments. These followed up on ideas Biden had proposed in the State of the Union address.

While it is important that the Administration is taking the affordable housing crisis seriously, the long history of attempts to address housing problems in the U.S. reveals these types of public-private initiatives have repeatedly enriched the private sector and done little to help those who need government action the most.

This history suggests that it's time for the federal government to follow the lead of local and state housing activists and create programs that recognize housing is a right not a commodity. This means reconsidering an idea that is barely mentioned in the Administration’s 45-page proposal: public housing. In fact, on Thursday, the same day the Biden Administration announced its proposal, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders released their own plans to advocate for “Green New Deal for Public Housing” legislation — a sign that some legislators are starting to recognize the essential role that public housing will play if the Administration is to solve the housing crisis.

Public housing in the U.S had its origins in the New Deal. It began as an effort by Franklin D. Roosevelt's Administration to boost the construction industry and provide temporary housing support for struggling Americans. Until World War II, it remained a very small and highly segregated program that primarily benefited working-class whites.

Read More: Read President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union Address

After the war, that changed. The federal government allocated funds for a substantial increase in public housing units to address a national housing shortage and advance urban redevelopment. These funds fueled the construction of large-scale modernist developments like Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes, which was the largest public housing project in the U.S. with over 4,000 units in 28 identical 16-story buildings.

Initially touted by city planners as “palaces for the poor,” these projects experienced problems of segregation and discrimination almost from the outset and increasingly fell into disrepair due to the limited funds allocated for their initial construction and ongoing maintenance. In the 1960s, many city housing agencies exacerbated the pre-existing problems. They changed their policies to allow occupancy by single-parent households and welfare recipients. Meanwhile, Congress passed a law raising the cap on rents to 30% of a household’s income, which substantially increased the rent for people who worked and drove many them into the private market. This exodus transformed public housing into the option of last resort, inhabited exclusively by the poorest of the poor.

Instead of trying to improve the situation in the 1970s, the federal government turned away from constructing, owning, and managing public housing, and instead adopted private market tools such as vouchers and subsidies in an effort to make housing affordable. They also contracted with private management companies to run preexisting public housing, while greatly reducing the capacity and power of public housing agencies. By the 1980s developments like the Robert Taylor Homes became the sites of major drug and gang activity, turning them into proxies for the problems of public housing and the “inner city.”

In response, Bill Clinton promised to “end public housing as we know it” and introduced the HOPE VI program . HOPE VI became a hallmark of the Clinton years and largely amounted to privatization of public services. The initiative encouraged tearing down many existing federal projects like the Robert Taylor Homes and replacing them with lower-density townhouse style developments that combined market rate housing designed to appeal to the middle class with subsidized units for poor families. To qualify for the houses, poor families had to meet a stringent set of requirements, including having no criminal record and having a job or being enrolled in an employment training program.

These projects benefited the private developers, who built the new housing and surrounding businesses, but only compounded the problems for tenants. The vast majority of former public housing residents found themselves displaced from their longtime homes. While many received Section 8 vouchers to rent homes, they confronted a highly discriminatory private rental market that left many former public housing residents with few options, most of them in racially-segregated, high-poverty areas. The end result was the exacerbation of housing segregation and economic inequality in many cities, while gentrification spread.

Despite this mixed record, in the early 21st century, public-private projects like HOPE VI remained virtually the only housing initiatives that seemed viable.

That’s changed in recent years. Policymakers from Los Angeles to Rhode Island have launched a range of innovative campaigns to consider alternative ways to increase affordable housing that go beyond simply changing single-family zoning laws and allowing for the construction of Auxiliary Dwelling Units (ADUs). Many of these projects have taken inspiration from longstanding social housing programs in Western Europe, most notably Vienna , where more than half a million residents, both low-income and middle class, live in well-constructed social housing units, spending less than 10% of their incomes on rent.

Read More: How More Cities Worldwide Can Attract Remote Workers

The shape of new programs vary significantly. On one end of the spectrum, Montgomery County, Md., has broken ground on several new mixed-income, government-owned projects. But the projects still rely on a public-private model and contain many echoes of HOPE VI, making them unlikely to eliminate fully the problems of the past.

On the other end of the spectrum, is the work being done by housing groups like Kansas City-based KC Tenants. The group has adopted a definition of “social housing” which points to a way of imagining housing outside the scope of the private market and unavailable for profit or speculation. In using the term “social,” KC Tenants seek to avoid the indelible stigma associated with public housing and to highlight that they envision something very different from the post-World War II massive housing projects or even the HOPE VI townhomes. They are crusading for construction of well-designed housing in desirable parts of the city that serves everyone but the most wealthy. KC Tenants co-founder Tara Raghuveer has deemed this form of “true public housing” the organization’s “north star.” The group is helping push Kansas City closer to that goal. In 2022, by a wide margin, the city passed a $50 million bond for long-term affordable housing.

Read more: Renters Are in Revolt. This Tenant Union Plans to Get Them Organized

This vision of social housing has a chance to undo the mistakes of the postwar era, which stigmatized public housing, and produced substandard and segregated residences for only the poorest of Americans. But for such programs to truly solve the affordable housing crisis, the federal government needs to be involved. The scope of the problem is simply too large for states and localities to tackle. Imaging and designing a federal initiative will take policymakers who can think big, while learning from the mistakes of the post-WWII housing projects. Crucially, they should follow the lead of local housing activists who see housing as a right, not a commodity.

To do so, officials must abandon the narrative that public housing has been a failed social experiment. Instead, they need to sell the public on viewing it as a critical way for the federal government to serve the public good and build a better functioning system of social welfare.

This approach will promote a just policy — one that addresses a problem that has festered for 75 years — and it could also provide a political boost for the Democrats in November and beyond. The poor, working, and middle-class Americans who would benefit most from this vision of public housing are some of the people most dissatisfied with the Biden Administration.

Fixing the housing crisis and creating a broad scale public housing program that makes these groups’ lives better promises to give these crucial constituencies a reason to turn out to vote.

Lily Geismer is a professor of history at Claremont McKenna College where she focuses on political and urban history. She is the author of Left Behind: The Democrats’ Failed Attempt to Solve Inequality.

Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here . Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors .

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A growing share of Americans say affordable housing is a major problem where they live

A "for rent" sign is posted on an apartment building on June 2, 2021, in San Francisco.

Prospective homebuyers and renters across the United States have seen prices surge and supply plummet during the coronavirus pandemic . Amid these circumstances, about half of Americans (49%) say the availability of affordable housing in their local community is a major problem, up 10 percentage points from early 2018, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2021.

This Pew Research Center analysis about the levels of concern among Americans about the affordability of housing draws from a Center survey designed to understand Americans’ views and preferences for where they live.

The survey of 9,676 U.S. adults was conducted from Oct. 18 to 24, 2021. Everyone who took part is a member of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology .

References to White, Black and Asian adults include only those who are not Hispanic and identify as only one race. Hispanics are of any race.

“Middle income” is defined here as two-thirds to double the median annual family income for panelists on the American Trends Panel. “Lower income” falls below that range; “upper income” falls above it. Read the methodology for more details.

References to respondents who live in urban, suburban or rural communities are based on respondents’ answer to the following question: “How would you describe the community where you currently live? (1) urban, (2) suburban, (3) rural.”

A bar chart showing that younger Americans, urban residents, and those with lower incomes are more likely to express concern about the availability of affordable housing

Another 36% of U.S. adults said in the fall that affordable housing availability is a minor problem in their community, while just 14% said it is not a problem.

Americans’ concerns about the availability of affordable housing have outpaced worries about other local issues. The percentage of adults who say this is a major problem where they live is larger than the shares who say the same about drug addiction (35%), the economic and health impacts of COVID-19 (34% and 26%, respectively) and crime (22%).

Opinions on the question of housing affordability differ by a variety of demographic factors, including income, race and ethnicity, and age. A majority of adults living in lower-income households (57%) say availability of affordable housing is a major issue in their community, larger than the shares of those in middle- (47%) or upper-income households (42%) who say it is a major problem.

Fewer than half of White adults (44%) say that availability of affordable housing is a major problem where they live – lower than the shares of Black (57%), Hispanic and Asian American adults (both 55%) who say the same.

Adults under 50 are more likely than their older counterparts to say affordable housing availability is a major problem locally. More than half of adults ages 18 to 29 and 30 to 49 say this (55% in both age groups), compared with smaller shares of those 50 to 64 and those 65 and older (44% and 39%, respectively).

Americans’ perceptions of this issue also vary based on where they live. About six-in-ten U.S. adults living in urban areas (63%) say that the availability of affordable housing in their community is a major problem, compared with 46% of suburban residents and 40% of those living in rural areas.

Regardless of income level, city dwellers generally tend to view affordable housing availability as a bigger issue than those living in the suburbs or rural areas. Two-thirds of urban adults with lower household incomes (66%) say affordable housing in their area is a major problem, compared with 56% of suburban dwellers with lower incomes and 52% of those with lower incomes living in rural areas. Among upper-income adults, 58% of those living in urban areas say housing affordability is a major problem, compared with 43% of upper-income Americans living in suburban places and 25% of upper-income rural residents.

There are also regional differences. Around seven-in-ten Americans living in the West (69%) say affordable housing availability is a major problem locally. This compares with 49% of Northeasterners, 44% of Americans in the South and 33% of those living in the Midwest.

A rising share of Americans say affordable housing in their area is a major issue

Since 2018, there have been increases across demographic groups in the shares who say that the availability of affordable housing in their community is a major problem. For example, 55% of adults under 30 now say this is a major problem – a 16 percentage point rise from the 39% who said so in 2018. The share of adults ages 30 to 49 who hold this view has also risen from 42% in 2018 to 55% last year.

About six-in-ten Democrats and independents who lean to the Democratic Party (59%) said in 2021 that affordable housing availability is a major problem in their community, compared with 36% of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents.

A chart showing that Americans living in urban areas are more likely to see affordable housing availability locally as a major problem, regardless of party affiliation

These partisan differences remain when looking separately at those who live in urban, suburban and rural communities. Among urban residents, two-thirds of Democrats (67%) see the availability of affordable housing locally as a major problem, compared with 54% of Republicans in urban areas. In suburban or rural communities, smaller majorities of Democrats hold this view (56% in the suburbs and 54% in rural places), compared with around a third of Republicans in those areas (35% and 31%, respectively).

Note: Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology .

Economic Conditions
Economic Inequality
Homeownership & Renting
Issue Priorities
Personal Finances
Rural, Urban and Suburban Communities

Katherine Schaeffer is a research analyst at Pew Research Center .

Public’s Positive Economic Ratings Slip; Inflation Still Widely Viewed as Major Problem

Is college worth it, a look at small businesses in the u.s., state of the union 2024: where americans stand on the economy, immigration and other key issues, americans’ top policy priority for 2024: strengthening the economy, most popular.

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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Ielts writing task 2 sample 121 - housing problem in big cities has social consequences, ielts writing task 2/ ielts essay:, the increasing housing problem in big cities has social consequences. some people say that only government can solve this problem..

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Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — Affordable Housing — Social Issues Regarding Affordable Housing: Risks by Lack and Influence of Coronavirus

Social Issues Regarding Affordable Housing: Risks by Lack and Influence of Coronavirus

Categories: Affordable Housing Homelessness

About this sample

Words: 1328 |

Published: May 24, 2022

Words: 1328 | Pages: 3 | 7 min read

The affordable housing problem, risks caused by lack of affordable housing.

Bent, A. (2015). The Role of Root Cause Analysis in Public Safety ERM Programs In J.R.S. Fraser, B. Simkins, & K. Narvaev (Eds.) Implementing Enterprise Risk Management: Case Studies and Best Practices (2nd ed., pp. 397-425). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Hickey, R. (n.d.) 2019 State of the Nation’s Housing Report. Retrieved from https://www.habitat.org/costofhome/2019-state-nations-housing-report-lack-affordable-housing
Lee, D. (2016). How Airbnb Short-Term Rentals Exacerbate Los Angeles’s Affordable Housing Crisis : Analysis and Policy Recommendations. Harvard Law & Policy Review, 10(1), 229–253. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=a9h&AN=114481034&site=eds-live&custid=spjc
Metcalf Gabriel. (2018). Sand Castles Before the Tide? Affordable Housing in Expensive Cities. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 32(1), 59. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=edsjsr&AN=edsjsr.26297969&site=eds-live&custid=spjc
Porter, S. (2018, March 5). Pinellas County continues mission to add affordable housing. Tampa Bay Newspapers. Retrieved from https://www.tbnweekly.com/pinellas_county/article
Vogel, M. (2020, October 15). How to solve Florida’s affordable housing crisis. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved from https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2020/10/15/how-to-solve-floridas-affordable-housing-crisis/
Weathers, S. (2020, September 17). Affordable Housing Tenants Stuck in Moldy, Infested and Damaged Apartments. Retrieved from https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2020/09/17/tampa-affordable-housing-tenants-stuck-in-moldy--infested-and-damaged-apartments

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic Examples

Safety standards are important when building people’s homes. who should be responsible for enforcing strict building codes – the government or the people who build the homes.

Use your own knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

You should write at least 250 words.

Would you prefer to live in a traditional house or in a modern apartment building?

Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

Write at least 250 words.

The increasing housing problem in big cities has social consequences. Some people say that only government can solve this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In the past, buildings often reflected the culture of a society but today all modern buildings look alike and cities throughout the world are becoming more and more similar. what do you think is the reason for this, and is it a good thing or a bad thing.

You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence.

What do you consider to be the most important room in a house? Why is this room more important to you than any other room?

Use specific reasons and relevant examples to support your opinion.

Students at universities often have a choice of places to live. They may choose to live in university dormitories, or they may choose to live in apartments in the community. Compare the advantages of living in university housing with the advantages of living in an apartment in the community. Where would you prefer to live?

Give reasons for your preference.

Many students have to live with roommates while going to school or university. What are some of the important qualities of a good roommate?

Use specific reasons and examples to explain why these qualities are important.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 – Topic: GOVERNMENT

ielts writing topics 2019

1. Families who do not send their children to government-financed schools should not be required to pay taxes that support universal education. (AGREE)

Sample Answer

Families who do not send their children to government-financed school should not be required to pay taxes that support universal education.

When families send their children to non-public (that is, parochial and private) schools, they must pay tuition and other school expenses. Spending additional money to pay taxes creates an even greater financial hardship for these families. They must make sacrifices, trying to have enough money to pay for school in addition to other bills. For example, my friend Amalia is a single mother with an eight-year-old son, Andrew. Because they survive solely on her income, money is tight. Amalia works at least 10 hours of overtime each week to cover Andrew’s school expenses. This gives Amalia and Andrew less time to spend together, and she is always so tired that she is impatient with him when they do have family time. Clearly, this extra expense is an unfair burden for hard-working parents like Amalia.

While some people may consider parochial or private school to be a luxury, for many families it is essential because their community’s public schools fail to meet their children’s needs. Unfortunately, due to shrinking budgets, many schools lack well qualified, experienced educators. Children may be taught by someone who is not a certified teacher or who knows little about the subject matter. Some problems are even more serious. For example, the public high school in my old neighborhood had serious safety problems, due to students bringing guns, drugs, and alcohol to school. After a gang-related shooting occurred at the high school, my parents felt that they had no choice but to enroll me in a parochial school that was known for being very safe.

Unfortunately, even when families prefer public schools, sometimes they can’t send their children to one. These families are burdened not only for paying expenses at another school, but also by being forced to pay taxes to support a public school that they do not use.

(323 words)

2. Families who do not send their children to government-financed schools should not be required to pay taxes that support universal education. (DISAGREE)

Families who do not send their children to public school should be required to pay taxes that support public education.

Every child in my country is required to attend school and every child is welcome to enroll at his/her local public school. Some families choose to send their children to other schools, and it is their prerogative to do so. However, the public schools are used by the majority of our children and must remain open for everyone. For example, my uncle sent his two children to a private academy for primary school. Then he lost a huge amount of money through some poor investments and he could no longer afford the private school’s tuition. The children easily transferred to their local public school and liked it even more than their academy. The public schools supported their family when they had no money to educate their children.

Because the public schools educate so many citizens, everyone in my country-whether a parent or not-should pay taxes to support our educational system. We all benefit from the education that students receive in public school. Our future doctors, fire fighters, and teachers people whom we rely on everyday-are educated in local public schools. When a person is in trouble, it’s reassuring to know that those who will help you-such as fire fighters-know what they’re doing because they received good training in school and later. Providing an excellent education in the public school system is vital to the strength of our community and our country.

Our government must offer the best education available, but it can only do so with the financial assistance of all its citizens. Therefore, everyone-including families who do not send their children to public school-should support public education by paying taxes.

(291 words)

3. Some people say the government should not put money into building theatres and sports stadiums; they should spend more money on medical care and education. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

What would the world be like without Shakespeare or the Olympics? While medical care and education are perhaps the highest causes to which money can be contributed, the arts and athletics are in some ways just as valuable. So, to ask the government to not extend support to these two areas could be just as detrimental to the welfare of society as the lack of sufficient health care and education.

The Romans believed in “mens sana in corpore sano”. In short, that there is indeed a correlation between a healthy body and healthy mind. When we are healthy, we feel better and so are more likely to be productive academically. Plus, the practice of sports can also teach us the very same discipline we need for our studies. Why even a brisk walk or watching an exciting athletic match can refresh the mind for greater work. Moreover, sports can serve to create healthier bodies, which in turn would serve as a form of “preventive medicine” thereby cutting down on medical costs. In the same vein, the arts are known to induce a sense of well-being in performers and audience alike, reducing mental problems and their associated physical manifestations and again, medical costs. As such, building theatres and stadiums, which spur interest in the arts and sports respectively, actually would be practically identical to spending money on medical care and education!

Now I realize the question specifically addresses the building of theatres and sports stadiums by government. Some people would contend athletics and the arts can still be enjoyed and practiced without such constructions. I would hazard that these buildings stand as the altars to the sports and arts worlds, inspiring would-be athletes and performers. Without such venues where would sports spectators and music aficionados be able to enjoy these events? Now some other people would also say business could support their construction, but we know the avarice of business could very likely jeopardize the lofty spirit of athletics and the arts just as well. Therefore, allowing government to retain some say in the matter on behalf of the people would, I believe, be in the best interest of the people.

In short, as long as the government does no go overboard in its expenditures for these buildings and uses such venues for the benefit of all, then, as mentioned above, people will benefit in terms of both medical care and education as well. This is not to say the government should neglect medical care and education, but rather to think of this not as an either-or choice but as a win-win situation for all.

(434 words)

4. The costs of medical health care are increasing all the time. Governments are finding it difficult to balance the health care budget. Should citizens be totally responsible for their own health costs and take out private health insurance, or is it better to have a comprehensive health care system which provides free health services for all? Discuss.

A much debated issue these days is whether citizens should take out private health insurance or not. The cost of providing free medical care for both the wealthy and the poor is far too great for any government, and most people agree that if you can pay for insurance, you should. In this essay, I will argue that all who can afford it should be insured, but free medical care must be made available for those too poor to do so.

The most important reason for encouraging people to take out private health insurance is the cost to the government of health care. Free health cover for people who are able to pay for it is a waste of public money. Of course, people will only pay health insurance premiums if they know that they are getting good value for their money. If they get sick, they should pay very little or nothing at all. In addition, the privately insured are entitled to special benefits such as having the choice of their own doctors, and being able to avoid long waiting lists for hospital beds.

On the other hand, those who really cannot afford to pay private insurance premiums, which are often very high, are still entitled as citizens to the best medical care available – they cannot be expected to pay their own medical bills. However, if they are working, they should still pay a percentage of their wage (say 1 to 2%) as a tax which pays towards the cost of providing “free” medical services.

In conclusion, most people should privately insure their health, but it is unreasonable to suppose that all citizens can afford it. Therefore, a safety net in the form of a basic free health care system must exist for the very poor and the unemployed.

(300 words)

5. All education, primary, secondary and further education, should be free to all people and paid for by the government. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Different countries have different education systems. I don‛t know all the education systems in the world but all the ones I do know about have free school education at primary and secondary level. I certainly agree with the statement that this should be the case. I believe university education is different.

No matter what standard of income someone has or what society someone comes from, everyone should have the opportunity to have a good standard of education. This is not always what happens but it is what should happen. Private schools can be available for those who want and can afford it but the free schools should always be there. This is certainly one of the best attributes of western democracy and all countries it seems strive to attain situation although some have problems due to the economic and political situations in their countries. Governments should make sure that all their citizens have access to a good standard of free education at primary and secondary level.

Further education is different. In an ideal world this should be free but governments have a lot of demands on their money. I think that students should have to pay, maybe not all, but at least a contribution towards their tuition fees. They will be able to earn it back once they have graduated. The UK has this system whereas in the US students have to pay all their high tuition fees which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars over a full course. I am not sure if I agree with this but it certainly would make sure that students make the best of efforts to pass or all their money would be wasted.

Therefore I conclude that primary and secondary education should be freely available for all if possible but that further education should not necessarily be wholly free.

(309 words)

6. Most writers of fiction do not earn enough money to live from their writing. Do you think the government should give them financial assistance to help encourage good literature?

There are some conditions under which a novelist could reasonably expect some government support. In general terms, if the writer has already proved that he or she can write well, and if the stories produced are stimulating and interesting, then I consider that some financial help might be given.

Language quality is difficult to define, but if the writing shows, for example, good grammar, a wide vocabulary, and elegance and imagination, then I can see a valid reason for assisting an author to spend some time free from money problems. Such a writing needs to be encouraged. the entertainment value of a book would be also a factor in deciding whether to provide assistance to an author. Further consideration would include social and educational values expressed in the author’s work.

However, if the ideas were socially irresponsible, or if the stories contain unnecessary violence or pornography for its own sake, then I would not want to see the author sponsored to write stories which do not benefit society. Other exceptions are the many writers of good books who do not require financial help. Books which proved to be extremely popular, such as the Harry Potter stories, clearly need no subsidy at all because the authors have become rich through their writing.

Views on what good quality writing means will vary widely, and so if any author is to be given money for writing, then the decision would have to be made by a committee or panel of judge. An individual opinion would certainly cause disagreement among the reading public.

(259 words)

7. The costs of medical health care are increasing all the time. Governments are finding it difficult to balance the health care budget. Should citizens be totally responsible for their own health costs and take out private health insurance, or is it better to have a comprehensive health care system which provides free health services for all? Discuss.

8. Should governments spend money on art, when they have so many other important issues and concerns?

Sample Answer 1

Many people’s lives are richer because of art – music, paintings, calligraphy, pictures, sculpture, poems and dance. However , some people feel that governments should be spending money on housing, medical care, or defence, instead of on art. This essay will discuss whether governments should or should not spend money on the arts.

There are several reasons why governments should not finance artists. First of all , artists should have to follow the same rules as the rest of the market. If there is a demand for their music or sculpture, then they will be rich. Secondly , politicians generally do not have good taste. They will waste public money on popular art or on their own preferences. But the main reason why governments should minimize spending on the art world is that there are more important areas like housing, roads, hospitals, and factories which need the money first.

However, it would be wrong to say that governments should not spend any money at all on art. Everybody needs some beauty in their life, but not everyone can afford a Picasso or a piece of music. Governments should provide money for museums or concert halls for everyone. Another point is that art allows people to express themselves and this is good for society, culture and thought. Thirdly , artists can be good for the economy by producing music, films, and attracting tourists.

All in all , governments should prioritize their spending carefully, but they should also allocate some of their budget for art. It is part of their duty to society and to future generations.

(260 words)

Sample Answer 2

Throughout the ages, man has tried to create beauty through painting, music, sculpture and other artistic expression. It seems to be a basic need of humans to surround themselves with art. However some people feel that government money spent on art is wasted, particularly when there are so many other demands on it. This essay will examine the conflict between those who say art is important and those who feel it is a waste of money.

It can be wrong for governments to spend large sums of money on art. Too often, governments spend unwisely. They spend money on art not because a picture is good or a museum is needed, but for political reasons. Cities end up with huge statues or empty expensive buildings that are used only by a few people or the elite. Another point is that the artworks are often chosen to represent social or political rather than artistic ideas. The city gets yet another statue of the leader or an ugly monument to national aspirations. A third point is that governments often respond to fashions, and tastes in art can change very rapidly. Without careful advice an expensive collection of worthless paintings or tasteless productions can be the result.

However, it would be wrong to say that governments should not spend any money at all on art. Painters, musicians, and composers cannot survive without financial support. Rich people or large companies do finance art, but then it is often inaccessible to ordinary people. Governments have a duty to make this art available to everyone. However, the most important reason why governments should support the arts is because an appreciation of art is one of the things that makes life worthwhile. Humans do not need just shelter and food. Creative people have always tried to look at things in a new way and to make the world a better place through painting, music, poetry, calligraphy, sculpture, dance, and numerous other forms of expression. While art may not make us immortal, it does make the world a richer place for future generations.

In conclusion, although people do need to be provided with the necessities of life, such as housing and medical care, governments also have a duty to provide their citizens with something more. They should make sure that they pass on beauty, ideas and expression to the next generation and make art available to all instead of being the possession of only the few. I firmly believe that spending money on art is a vital part of a government’s responsibility, and I am confident that my country will be able to contribute its share to the richness of the world’s art and creativity.

(447 words)

9. In the fight against crime, police forces and governments are increasingly using security cameras in public places. Some people are opposed to this, saying that it invades our privacy. What do you think?

Security cameras have become ubiquitous in many countries. Whereas before they appeared only in banks and at high-security areas, they are now entering public places such as malls, streets, stadiums and transport. Many people feel this affects their privacy. This essay will examine whether the advantages of these cameras outweigh their negative impact.

Surveillance cameras have several benefits. An obvious benefit is that the police can catch criminals in the act, thus reducing crime. This will make the streets safer for ordinary people. A more important point is that criminals, particularly young offenders or petty criminals will be deterred. They will not be tempted to carry out crimes, and thus society will be a lot safer. Cameras are also cost-effective and unobtrusive. Authorities do not need to spend large amounts of money on police.

However, security cameras are far from being a perfect solution. The biggest objection concerns privacy. Many people feel that they should be free to travel or move around a shop, mall, street or country without being photographed or recorded. They feel that being watched constantly is like being in a jail, and that ordinary people are losing their freedom because of these devices. Another point is that although the police say that only criminals have something to fear from the cameras, many people do not trust governments with too much information. Corrupt authorities could use information in the wrong way or twist it to victimize some groups. Thirdly, cameras and computers can make mistakes.

In conclusion, although there are definite advantages to using surveillance devices such as cameras, we need to balance the need for security with respect for the individual’s privacy and freedom. If we do not trust the members of society, a situation like George Orwell’s “1984” could be the result.

(297 words)

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Housing, local and community
Planning and building
House building

Housing white paper

Housing white paper and supporting documents setting out the government's plans to reform the housing market and boost the supply of new homes in England.

The white paper “Fixing our broken housing market” sets out a broad range of reforms that government plans to introduce to help reform the housing market and increase the supply of new homes.

Alongside the white paper we are also publishing some supporting technical documents which provided the evidence underpinning many of the white paper proposals.

We are also launching a new consultation on planning and affordable housing for Build to Rent.

View the housing white paper

The housing white paper and consultation

7 February 2017
Policy paper
5 March 2018
Consultation outcome

Statement and press notice

Oral statement to Parliament
Press release

Planning for the right homes in the right places consultation

Planning and affordable housing for build to rent consultation.

3 August 2017

Response to changes to the National Planning Policy Framework consultation

Response to the starter homes regulations: technical consultation, summary of responses to the technical consultation on implementation of planning changes, consultation on upward extensions and rural planning review call for evidence.

3 April 2017
Call for evidence outcome

Report of the Local Plans Expert Group – summary of representations and government response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee

Community infrastructure levy review and three dragons and university of reading research report.

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China Has a Plan for Its Housing Crisis. Here’s Why It’s Not Enough.

A new approach by China’s top leaders is bold but pales against the problem: a vast number of empty apartments no one wants to buy.

The abandoned shells of several unfinished apartment towers with weeds growing in a path between them.

By Alexandra Stevenson

Reporting from Hong Kong

China has a housing problem. A very big one. It has nearly four million apartments that no one wants to buy, a combined expanse of unwanted living space roughly the area of Philadelphia.

Xi Jinping, the country’s leader, and his deputies have called on the government to buy them.

The plan, announced last week, is the boldest move yet by Beijing to stop the tailspin of a housing crisis that threatens one of the world’s biggest economies. It was also not nearly enough.

China has a bigger problem lurking behind all those empty apartments: even more homes that developers already sold but have not finished building. By one conservative estimate, that figure is around 10 million apartments.

The scale of China’s real estate boom was breathtaking. The extent of its unrelenting bust, which began nearly four years ago, remains vast and unclear.

China’s leaders were already managing a slowdown after three decades of double-digit growth before the housing crisis created a downturn that is spiraling out of their control. Few experts believe that Beijing can transition to more sustainable growth without confronting all those empty apartments and the developers that overextended to build them. All told, trillions of dollars are owed to builders, painters, real estate agents, small companies and banks around the country.

After decades of promoting the biggest real estate boom the world has ever seen, and allowing it to become nearly one-third of China’s economic growth, Beijing stepped in suddenly in 2020 to cut off the easy money that fueled the expansion, setting off a chain of bankruptcies that shocked a nation of home buyers.

It was the first test of Beijing’s determination to wean China’s economy off its decades-long dependence on building and construction to sustain the economy.

Now the government is confronting another test of its resolve. To stop the excesses of the past, it signaled over the last few years that no real estate company was too big to fail. But as dozens of big developers have gone bust, they have obliterated any confidence that remained in the housing market. Officials have since tried everything to restore optimism among buyers. Nothing has worked.

With few buyers, developers that are still standing are also on the brink of default. And they are intricately connected to local banks and the financial system that underpins the government in every village, town and city. One recent estimate, from the research firm Rhodium Group, put the real estate sector’s entire domestic borrowings, including loans and bonds, at more than $10 trillion, of which only a tiny portion have been recognized.

“Right now, not being able to sell homes looks like a risk, but it isn’t. More developers going bankrupt is,” said Dan Wang, chief economist at Hang Seng Bank. The first big developers to default, like China Evergrande, were problems hiding in plain sight.

Evergrande’s initial default in December 2021 set off fears of China’s own “Lehman moment,” a reference to the 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers, which set off a global financial meltdown. The fallout, however, was carefully and quietly managed through policy support that let Evergrande finish building many apartments. By the time a judge ordered the company to be liquidated five months ago, Evergrande had effectively ceased being a viable business.

But China has tens of thousands of smaller developers around the country. The only way for officials to stop the free fall in the market, Ms. Wang said, is to bail out some midsize developers in cities where the crisis is more acute.

China’s top leaders are instead refocusing the lens to address the millions of apartments that no one wants to buy, pledging to turn them into social housing at lower rents. They have committed $41.5 billion to help fund loans for state-owned companies to start buying unwanted property — altogether equivalent to eight billion square feet, of which a little more than four billion square feet is unsold apartments, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

When Beijing’s response was announced last week, shares in developers initially rallied. But some critics said the initiative had come too late. And most speculated that it would take a lot more money. Estimates ranged from $280 billion to $560 billion.

Officials in Beijing began softening their approach last year. They directed banks to funnel loans and other financing to dozens of real estate companies they deemed good enough to be on a government “white list.”

The support was not enough to stop housing prices from crashing.

Policymakers pulled other levers. They made their biggest cut ever to mortgage rates. They tried pilot programs to get residents to trade in old apartments and buy new ones. They even offered cheap loans to some cities to test out the idea of buying unsold apartments.

In all, local authorities tried out more than 300 measures to increase sales and bolster real estate companies, according to Caixin, a Chinese economic news outlet.

Still, the number of unsold homes continued to reach new levels. Prices of new homes kept falling. So at the end of April, Mr. Xi and his 23 top policymakers began to discuss the idea of taking some of those unwanted apartments off the market in a program not unlike the Troubled Asset Relief Program , which the U.S. government set up in the wake of the American housing market crash.

Last week, China’s most senior official in charge of the economy, Vice Premier He Lifeng, convened an online gathering of officials from across the country and delivered the news: It was time to start buying apartments. Not long after, the central bank loosened rules for mortgages and the central bank promised to make billions of dollars available to help state-owned companies buy apartments.

The move underscored just how worried the government had become about the dysfunctions in the housing market.

Yet almost as soon as state media reported Mr. He’s call on local governments to buy unsold apartments, economists started asking questions.

Would local governments be expected to buy all the unsold apartments? What if they, in turn, could not find buyers? And there was the price tag: Economists calculated that such a program should be in the hundreds of billions of dollars, not tens of billions.

More worryingly, to some, the central bank had already quietly started an apartment buyback program for eight hard-hit cities, committing $14 billion in cheap loans, of which only $280 million had been used. Those governments did not appear to be interested in using the loans for the same reason that consumers did not want to buy houses in smaller cities.

One big difference now, said John Lam, the head of China property research at UBS, the Swiss bank, is political will. The country’s most powerful leaders have said they stand behind a buyback plan. That will put political pressure on officials to act.

“The local government can acquire the apartments at a loss,” Mr. Lam said.

Yet in places where the population is shrinking, which are some of the same cities and towns where developers expanded most aggressively, there will be little need for social housing projects.

The optimistic view is that Beijing has more planned.

“Beijing is headed in the right direction with regard to ending the epic housing crisis,” Ting Lu, chief China economist at the Japanese bank Nomura, wrote in an email to clients.

The task, he added, was a daunting one that required “more patience when awaiting more draconian measures.”

Alexandra Stevenson is the Shanghai bureau chief for The Times, reporting on China’s economy and society. More about Alexandra Stevenson

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Fairer housing targets announced with incentives to councils to build better communities for NSW

Published: 29 May 2024

Released by: The Premier, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

New housing targets that rebalance housing across Greater Sydney, the Illawarra, the Hunter and Central Coast and regional NSW have been released today as the Minns Government announces an incentive scheme to encourage councils to meet these new targets.

This builds on the significant steps that the government has already taken to tackle the housing crisis NSW is facing.

Housing Crisis

Housing is the biggest single cost of living pressure people are dealing with right now, with mortgage payments or rent the largest expense for most households.

Without action now, we are at risk of being a city with no young people.

A recent Productivity Commission report found between 2016 and 2021, Sydney lost twice as many people aged 30 to 40 as it gained. These are the people who open businesses, have families, build our communities and contribute to the local economy.

The NSW Government is absolutely committed to confronting the housing crisis head on – and that means building more well-located homes; close to infrastructure and transport links; next to amenities and work opportunities.

Faster Assessments Council Incentives and Grants program

To support this the NSW Government is today announcing the first stage of an incentive program for local governments which meet and beat their housing targets.

The NSW Government’s program will reserve $200 million in grants for councils to fund more green space such as parks, sporting facilities and smaller pocket parks, plus maintenance of local streets and footpaths which Councils maintain.

The infrastructure that builds better communities for NSW.

This is in addition to support already announced including through reforms to developer contributions of $1 billion over the forward estimates, and up to $700 million per year beyond that.

This funding is reserved by the NSW Government to help fund schools, hospitals and roads to support the population growth that comes with new housing.

An additional $1 billion raised through this contribution will also be directed to local councils over 10 years for housing enabling infrastructure.

Fairer Housing Targets

The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to address the housing crisis by rebalancing housing growth across the state with a focus on well-located homes close to transport, jobs and existing infrastructure.

For a long time, Western Sydney has accepted the overwhelming burden of new housing in our city without proper infrastructure to cope with the increase in population.

This plan ensures we are now building more housing around established infrastructure; in places that are connected to work and transport; in communities that already have schools and hospitals.

These five-year targets ensure that while all areas would see an increase in homes being built to help address the housing crisis, new housing will be more fairly rebalanced from the West of Sydney towards the East and North of Sydney.

These targets do not mean additional housing over and above recently announced planning reforms – instead they will provide guideposts for local governments as well as access to financial support for future housing.

This rebalancing has been developed with consideration of:

Homes already in the pipeline
The additional homes to be delivered from new planning reforms including Transport Orientated Developments and low and mid rise reforms.
Constraints due to environmental risks like floods or bushfires

Over the next five years 82 per cent of the housing targets come from infill areas with 18 per cent to come from greenfield locations.

These targets will be ambitious. Last year NSW delivered 48,393 homes, and the previous record number was 74,683 in 2018/19 but we can’t sit back and do nothing.

This is part of the NSW Government’s plan to build better homes, and better communities for the state. To build a better NSW.

For more information on the housing targets, visit Housing targets .

Premier of NSW Chris Minns said:

“We’re losing too many young people, people who make the city vibrant, essential workers and young families because they can’t afford a place to live in NSW. This has to change.

“I’ve talked a long time about the need to ensure we have a fairer balance of housing across the state – so housing is built close to already established transport links, schools and hospitals.

“While these targets are required to be released, the government has already acknowledged that they will be difficult to meet.

“That’s why this government is pulling all levers required to reforming planning and setting targets for housing growth, while providing the infrastructure needed to build better communities.”

Minister for Planning and Public Space Paul Scully said:

“These targets are ambitious but realistic, because they’re based on evidence.

“We all need to be accountable. For too long, housing has been delivered without a plan.

“The new targets make for a fairer distribution across Sydney and NSW, with growth in areas where jobs and transport exist or are planned for.

“The good news is that nearly two thirds of homes are either planned, under assessment or under construction.

“The State has already reformed the planning laws to improve efficiency and speed approvals. We’re also investing $200 million to support councils with the infrastructure that builds better communities.”

A chart showing distribution of new homes in eastern LGA's

Related ministerial media releases

See all ministerial media release.

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WA spent $5B over past decade on homelessness, housing programs

The money has helped accelerate housing construction in the state, but there’s still only one affordable home for every five households that need one.

Laurel Demkovich

Two construction workers prepare materials on scaffolding.

Workers from Farwest Steel prepare to hoist materials at the site of Plymouth Housing’s new development at the intersection of Rainier Avenue South and South King Street in Seattle, June 11, 2019. (Photo by Matt M. McKnight/Cascade PBS)

For much of the past decade, the amount of money Washington lawmakers dedicated to housing and homelessness programs grew gradually, climbing from around $200 million to $400 million in each two-year budget between 2013 and 2021.

But in the past four years this spending has surged, according to an analysis of state spending data provided by the Office of Financial Management.

These figures show that more than $4 billion – or around 80% – of the roughly $5 billion directed to expanding housing and preventing homelessness since 2013 has been packed into the past two state budgets.

That spike is due to an infusion of federal pandemic aid. But it also reflects a growing acknowledgment among lawmakers that Washington has a housing problem , particularly a shortage of affordable homes.

The additional spending has gone toward improving homeless services, purchasing temporary shelters, building more affordable housing and providing rent assistance.

While it’s helped , affordable-housing construction is still not meeting the estimated need; rents remain too high for many tenants; and home ownership is often out of reach for lower and even middle-income households.

The numbers

According to data from the Office of Financial Management, Washington has poured about $3.4 billion into homelessness prevention programs and another $1.9 billion into housing construction since 2013, a total of around $5.3 billion.

Between 2013 and 2021, spending on housing and homelessness programs averaged about $262 million under each two-year budget. In the past two budgets combined, it totaled upward of $4.2 billion, including more than $1 billion in federal COVID aid.

The state’s entire operating budget for the current two-year budget cycle is around $72 billion .

Outside of federal funding, one of the main ways the state funds housing and homelessness services is through a document recording fee, which people pay at their county auditor’s office when retrieving certain legal documents.

Funding from that fee is split among a range of programs, including counties’ homeless housing plans, rent assistance, incentives for landlords who house people with rent assistance, and building and maintenance of permanent supportive housing.

During the budget cycle that ends next June, more than $562 million is dedicated to programs funded by these fees – up from more than $251 million during the previous cycle. Before 2021, less than $100 million was set aside for these programs every two years.

Another pot of money is the state’s housing and essential needs support program , which provides low-income people with essential-needs items, like hygiene products or transit cards, or rental assistance if they cannot work due to their physical or mental condition. That fund saw a boost in the past four years as well. In this two-year budget cycle, lawmakers set aside $130 million, up from $114 million the cycle before and $78 million in the 2019-2021 cycle.

Since 2021, Washington state has spent about $1.5 billion on housing construction, compared to about $446 million between 2013 and 2021.

Most of the money spent on construction in the past decade has been through the Housing Trust Fund, which gives grants to affordable-housing providers.

From 2013 until 2019, the trust fund was the only account lawmakers used to fund affordable housing. Back in 2013, lawmakers dropped $56 million into it. During the past two years, they’ve devoted a record $500 million to the fund.

The state has also set aside money in recent years to purchase emergency housing and temporary shelters, distribute loans for rural housing rehabilitation, and preserve mobile homes.

Has it helped?

The money for housing construction has helped, according to the Department of Commerce.

On average, around 24,100 units were built in Washington every year between 2011 and 2015. In the next four-year period, the state averaged almost 41,000 units every year. Between 2020 and 2023, about 46,400 units were built annually – slightly above the projected annual need of 46,118.

Despite more home construction overall, Tedd Kelleher, housing policy manager at the Department of Commerce, said in a statement that investments in affordable housing have not kept pace with Washington’s population growth.

According to Commerce , only about one affordable home for every five households that need one is available in Washington. The state needs to build about 27,011 low-income units every year to keep up with demand, the department’s estimates show. Between 2020 and 2023, the statewide average for the number of units built for low-income families was 23,877.

Michele Thomas, director of policy and advocacy at the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, said the state needs to put more emphasis on affordable-housing construction, not necessarily all types of new housing construction.

“We don’t need more luxury apartments built,” she said. “What we need is affordable housing.”

When it comes to funding for homelessness support and services, Thomas said the money has helped those experiencing homelessness, but the state needs to do more to address the root causes of homelessness, like steep rent increases and the lack of affordable housing.

Every time a state program helps someone avoid homelessness, she said, more people fall into it, creating a “constant churn.”

“Every one of those dollars has changed somebody’s life,” Thomas said. “But there’s nothing to stop more people from experiencing homelessness.”

This story was originally published by the Washington State Standard on May 20, 2024. Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Follow Washington State Standard on Facebook and Twitter .

Please support independent local news for all.

We rely on donations from readers like you to sustain Crosscut's in-depth reporting on issues critical to the PNW.

Homelessness ,

About the Authors & Contributors

Laurel Demkovich joined States Newsroom and Washington State Standard in 2023 after almost three years as a statehouse reporter for the Spokesman-Review. She covers state government, the Legislature and all other Olympia news.

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Wolfe and his team will focus the five-part docuseries on reefnet fishing and its significance to PNW Indigenous communities.

Maleeha Syed

Five ways the next government can build a strong economy for all

Whoever forms the next government, they cannot be afraid to invest – otherwise our economy will never improve

By Lydia Prieg , Tom Pollard , Chaitanya Kumar , Hollie Wright , Benedikt Stranak , Emmet Kiberd

31 May 2024

We’re going to hear a lot about the state of the UK economy during this election. But from the way politicians talk, you could forget that our economy is made up of people. We make up the economy – whether we’re getting the train to work, taking our kids to a play group, or going out for a meal with friends.

This election is taking place against a backdrop of decades of economic failure. Government after government has failed to invest in the people, public services and national infrastructure that are vital for a thriving economy. If we struggle to get a doctor’s appointment, can’t afford nursery for our kids, or are forced to live in a home riddled with mould, this affects our health, wellbeing, and our ability to work.

We are living with the result of decades of underinvestment. More than four in 10 households cannot afford life’s essentials. Our schools and hospitals are literally crumbling. And farmers are struggling to grow food because of extreme weather caused by the climate crisis.

Whoever forms the next government, they cannot be afraid to invest – otherwise our economy will never improve. Saying we can’t afford to pay nurses properly, repair our crumbling schools, or create truly affordable housing is back-to-front: we need to invest to build a strong economy, and this investment will more than pay for itself over the short and medium term.

The next government needs to create the strong economic foundations so we can all live a good life. Here are the top five ways they should start:

Replace fiscal rules to improve living conditions

Lydia Prieg, head of economics

It is widely acknowledged that the UK is currently living with the consequences of decades of underinvestment, which include stagnant productivity and crumbling public services. By sticking to arbitrary borrowing and debt rules , otherwise known as “ fiscal rules”, our major political parties are threatening to doom the UK to years of stagnant or even falling living conditions, along with an inability to meet the future challenges of the climate crisis and an ageing population.

The amount a government can safely borrow is determined by a complex set of macroeconomic dynamics, not by a simple metric, such as the debt-to-GDP ratio. Our fiscal rules are a political football; they are not a tool of effective policy.

At NEF, we have suggested that fiscal rules are replaced with “ fiscal referees”, a new independent advisory committee that would estimate a target range for optimal government spending. Decisions over tax and spending would remain with the chancellor; however, if he disagreed with the proposed range, he would have to explain why, which would improve accountability in the fiscal policy process.

An Essentials Guarantee to ensure no one falls below a minimum level of income

Tom Pollard, head of social policy

No one should be left without enough income to meet their essential costs, but over 14 million people are suffering the consequences of living in poverty. A key driver of this is the inadequacy of our social security system, with rates of support not pegged to any meaningful assessment of what people need to make ends meet.

The next government should, at the very least, commit to an Essentials Guarantee so that no one is allowed to fall below a minimum level of income. The longer-term ambition should be a Living Income that supports everyone to meet a decent standard of life.

We also need to see a shift away from a prescriptive and punitive approach to pushing people into work . People should be supported to find well-paid, secure and fulfilling jobs , not pressured to take any job going under the threat of benefit sanctions.

A National Energy Guarantee to protect essential energy needs and cut carbon

Chaitanya Kumar, head of environment and green transition

Energy is essential for life and yet millions are unable to afford enough to keep warm and have a decent standard of living.

The next government should introduce a National Energy Guarantee (NEG) . This is a commitment to every family that, regardless of their means, they will be entitled to a minimum of essential energy for free or at heavily subsidised rates.

This energy can keep their homes warm and power all their appliances. As consumption grows, the amount a household pays for each unit of energy will go up. This will incentivise wealthier households who tend to consume more to reduce their energy use. The NEG should combine with a Great Homes Upgrade , a government scheme for mass home retrofitting, to make sure everyone lives in a warm, low-carbon home.

By providing an energy safety net for lower income households, and encouraging energy efficiency for higher income households, we can have a fairer energy system, cut carbon emissions, and make the UK more resilient to future energy price spikes.

A new generation of social homes to solve the housing crisis

Hollie Wright, assistant researcher

Everyone should have the right to a secure, warm and affordable home. One of the key drivers of the current housing crisis is the lack of social housing. This has left tens of thousands of families stuck in temporary accommodation , while millions more struggle to afford their rent.

The next government should aim to build 90,000 new social homes annually, in part by reorienting the Affordable Homes Programme to strongly prioritise social housing. Social landlords should also be better supported to acquire and upgrade private rented sector properties , converting them into social homes. Local authorities should have the power to limit or suspend the right-to-buy scheme when necessary to stem the loss of existing social homes.

By rebuilding our tradition of publicly owned housing and ensuring that social landlords can provide truly affordable homes, we can create a strong foundation for everyone to build a good life.

An emergency funding package for local government

Benedikt Stranak, researcher, and Emmet Kiberd, researcher

Local government across the country is at breaking point, with many councils on the verge of bankruptcy following years of chronic underfunding. In 2024 – 25, councils will need to make do with 24% less money in real terms than in 2010-11, with some councils losing half of their core budget to cuts.

Due to rising demand and increasing costs, councils are now facing a huge shortfall even to maintain services at current levels. An emergency funding package will be needed from the next government, so that local governments can continue delivering vital services, from everyday infrastructure to important parts of the UK’s safety net, such as homelessness prevention and social care.

The crisis in local government is in stark contrast to the cross-party consensus on devolution. Promising more devolution without fixing local councils – the foundation on which English devolution is built – is reckless.

Longer term, local and combined authorities will need greatly enhanced powers, multi-year funding and autonomy over how it is spent. This would allow them to deliver the major public investment needed to close spatial inequalities: high-quality public transport and active travel, local energy and retrofit schemes, well-planned places, parks and social infrastructure.

You can’t just magic up a resilient economy on a wish and a prayer – it takes serious government investment in the things which make our economy stronger: our NHS, schools, and climate-proof infrastructure. If we want a thriving, resilient economy, whoever forms the next government can’t be afraid to spend.

Image: iStock

Topics Macroeconomics Social security Housing & land Climate change Local economies

Stop airport expansions

Despite the urgent need to cut carbon emissions, seven airport expansions are underway in the UK. NEF supports communities with expert analysis to challenge these expansions. But more groups are coming to NEF for help than we have resources to support.

If you’d like to support communities to stop airport expansions, donate to our Big Give #GreenMatchFund appeal before noon on Friday 29 April.

If you value great public services, protecting the planet and reducing inequality, please support NEF today.

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The aviation industry claims more flying is essential for the economy, the numbers say otherwise

Latest data shows that in 2023, there were 3.9 million fewer business air trips compared to 2019

Alex Chapman

24 May 2024

Energy bills are falling - but the UK is still not protected from future price shocks

A lower Ofgem price cap shouldn't lead to complacency - fuel poverty is still a huge problem in the UK

Paulo Yunda

23 May 2024

Publications

Reforming right to buy

Options for preserving and delivering new council homes for the twenty-first century

Alex Diner , Hollie Wright

10 May 2024

Devolution won’t work unless we fix local government funding

There is a broad consensus on devolving powers, but the next government first needs to fix local government finances, otherwise it will push more responsibility onto an already broken system.

Benedikt Stranak , Emmet Kiberd , Abi O'Connor

02 May 2024

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Canada, Ontario in deal for affordable housing amid soaring home costs

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Prospect of peaceful 'reunification' with Taiwan being 'eroded', China says

The prospect of peaceful "reunification" with Taiwan is being increasingly "eroded" by Taiwanese separatists and external forces, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun said on Sunday, drawing an angry response from the government in Taipei.

John Steenhuisen the leader of the Democratic Alliance during an election rally in Benoni

Victorian government spends $20m on affordable housing block linked to liquidated builder

A young woman with dark hair and a black dress stands in a softly lit Melbourne apartment.

To Elise Riley, the building offered a kind of rear entry to the rental market at a time when so many were bursting through the front door.

Tenancies across the building — part of the Victorian government's affordable housing scheme — were allocated using a ballot, its 39 units reserved for low to moderate income earners.

When Ms Riley's name was drawn, letting the first-time renter and her boyfriend move in without a rental history, the long leases and below-market rent seemed too good to be true.

"We thought it was stable, secure housing, which is really important in the current day," Ms Riley, 20, said.

But looking back on problems that arose across the south-east Melbourne building in the months since, Ms Riley reflected her three-year lease now seemed like a "trap".

An affordable housing building in Melbourne's south-east, seen from the street.

An ABC investigation has revealed the company that built the apartments has strong links to a notorious residential construction company that collapsed last year, leaving some home owners unsure if they'll recover money they say they are owed.

The state government, which bought the building for $20 million in a deal that settled last September, insists it carried out due diligence checks before it signed a sale contract.

Wet carpet wouldn't dry

Perched on a street corner in a growing part of Cheltenham, the four-storey building was bought off-the-plan by Homes Victoria, the state government's social and affordable housing agency, in June 2021.

Homes Victoria appointed community housing provider National Affordable Housing Victoria (NAHV) to manage tenancies as part its affordable housing ramp-up.

An occupancy permit was issued in September 2023, and residents were welcomed as the year drew to a close.

When Jay Beckerleg and Jeffrey Stewart's names were drawn from the ballot, they made a hasty decision to move into the building, and were handed the keys days out from Christmas.

But by early January, the couple had noticed something odd: what appeared to be a wet patch of carpet lingering in the corner of the master bedroom.

"We first blamed the dog, but we quickly realised that it wasn't him," Ms Beckerleg said.

She said the area wouldn't dry.

As the damp patch grew, so too did the mould that established itself in the carpet.

According to Ms Beckerleg, some of the pair's possessions sustained water damage before they decided to abandon the room.

A composite image of a wet patch of carpet on the left side, and the same carpet becoming mouldy on the right.

The construction company and the tenants offered competing accounts of the repairs timeline — the tenants said the issue dragged on for weeks after it was reported in early January.

Construction company SLC Bayside initially said the tenants refused multiple requests to access the unit. It later retracted that statement in light of contradictory evidence and said the tenants began to refuse access about a month-and-a-half after the issue was reported.

Video of the repair works shows a trickle of water entering the apartment while a hose sprays the area outside, the carpet pulled up and a section of wall removed.

A composite of three images showing a patch of water growing and a man pointing to a corner of the room.

Ms Beckerleg and Mr Stewart eventually relocated down the hall after taking their case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), which ordered their housing provider to carry out urgent repairs by the end of March.

The company said it quickly rectified the issue after it regained access to the property.

A man and a woman sit on a couch in their apartment in Melbourne, looking at the woman's phone.

But in their new apartment, the tenants alleged they soon discovered another issue, saying they learnt one of the showers leaked into the unit below.

"Moving … was supposed to be a fresh start," Ms Beckerleg said.

"All of this happening so quickly was pretty disappointing and disheartening."

Multiple defects in the building addressed

Two floors down, Ms Riley had been unpacking kitchenware in December when she discovered water gathering in a cupboard above her stove.

As she settled into the tenancy, she said an apparent leak in the area worsened and water began dripping through the range hood.

"We could no longer use [the range hood] out of concern for the electricity in it being damaged by water," the 20-year-old said.

"We've now got mould building here, and there's permanent water damage to the hinges and everything there."

SLC Bayside's statement said the leak was caused by a loose plumbing fitting — one of about three identified in the building — which was quickly fixed, with any remaining damage to be rectified.

Ms Riley's concerns about potential damage were heightened for another reason: she had not been provided with a condition report when she moved in.

A young woman in a black dress stands in a softly lit apartment, looking at an open kitchen cabinet.

The 20-year-old said these experiences undermined government plans to ease the housing crisis by tipping billions into the social and affordable housing sectors.

"Knowing they cared so little about the people that are here when the entire point of this scheme is for people who are vulnerable to have safe, secure housing has just been horrific," she said.

In a statement, NAHV said an audit had identified two renters who did not have condition reports, which had since been provided.

A concrete slab in a building's carpark, with a foreign material that could be cigarette butts visible.

The ABC is aware of other issues across the building, including a leak in the roof, water pooling in the car park, and what appeared to be cigarette butts set in a concrete slab.

SLC Bayside, whose website says every project is an "exercise in perfection", said all of these issues were promptly addressed, attributing the leaks to the building settling as well as new fittings and fixtures.

It said the carpark flooding was an isolated incident, caused by pumps designed to drain water away from the area being switched off.

Water pooled in the basement of an underground carpark.

"Since the project's completion, a small number of minor defects have been reported," the company's director, Sid Naqebullah, said in a statement.

"SLC Bayside takes its obligations seriously and all reported defects have either been rectified or are in the process of being rectified in line with our defect liability period."

The state's construction watchdog, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), is understood to be investigating potential non-compliant building work identified during a proactive inspection of the Cheltenham building last year.

Creditors claim original planning permit agent owes millions

SLC Bayside's website promotes the Cheltenham building — known as Cheltenham House — among other lavish apartment blocks built across Melbourne's south-east.

However, the ABC can reveal the company that worked to obtain the Cheltenham building's 2019 planning permit was not SLC Bayside but Shangri-La Construction, a company directed by Sid Naqebullah's brother, Obaid.

Before its collapse, Shangri-La Construction faced a number of lawsuits over allegedly defective buildings . It was put into liquidation last March.

In 2020, the VBA took disciplinary action against Obaid Naqebullah over the use of combustible cladding on an 81-unit complex in Clayton .

A separate case saw the County Court last year order Obaid Naqebullah to pay the state more than $1 million in damages and interest after it stepped in to remove combustible cladding from a three-storey building in Caulfield, according to the VBA.

A recent update from liquidators said more than 30 unsecured creditors claimed the company together owed them more than $42.3 million dollars, including about $9 million in damages awarded to a group of Brighton home-owners through VCAT in 2023.

Another creditor, apartment-owner Tamara Railton-Stewart, described the saga as an "ongoing nightmare".

While a payout from a government insurance agency covered what she said was about $2 million in repairs for the Caulfield apartment block , she said she was about $250,000 out of pocket from interest on a strata loan, legal fees, expert reports and accommodation costs.

A man, woman and child sit outside on the steps of a house.

All up, liquidators from BRI Ferrier identified 10 properties across Melbourne with "contingent claims against the company with respect to building defects" at various stages of the court process.

But those liquidators said they were without funds to defend proceedings. Shangri-La Construction had just $18,700 in assets when they stepped in.

Ms Railton-Stewart said it remained unclear what the company's creditors will recover.

Further links between companies

The ABC can also reveal SLC Bayside once described itself as being "led by brothers Obi and Sid Naqebullah" in a now-deleted line from its website.

A screenshot from the website of a Melbourne construction company, describing it as a "boutique business".

When the ABC asked about the blurb, SLC Bayside said Obaid Naqebullah had never been an employee or director, and only featured on its website to support his brother.

The company said it became involved in the Cheltenham building when it was awarded the construction contract by a third company that owned the land, after Shangri-La Construction acted as that company's agent during the planning application process.

That third company is called 44 Station Road Pty Ltd, and ASIC records reveal its director as Samira Zemaryalai, who shares a residential address with Obaid Naqebullah and has been referred to in legal documents as his wife.

Another company directed by Ms Zemaryalai, SLM Corp Pty Ltd, holds a vast majority of non-beneficial shares in SLC Bayside.

According to corporate records, all four companies were registered at the same South Melbourne address.

Separately, liquidators found Shangri-La Construction sold almost $150,000 worth of assets such as equipment and vehicles to SLC Bayside in July 2021, the same month it ceased trade.

There is no suggestion of issues with the asset transfers, and the liquidator has decided the transaction was a legitimate sale.

The ABC sought comment from Obaid Naqebullah through his legal representatives, but did not receive a response.

In the Cheltenham block, residents have questioned whether the government was aware of the links between the two companies before the $20 million sale was settled in September 2023.

"This is not something that's hard to find," Ms Beckerleg said.

A spokesperson for Homes Victoria said background checks "did not highlight any items of concern" before the agency signed a sale contract with vendor 44 Station Road Pty Ltd in June 2021.

"All due diligence checks – including legal, planning and counterparty verification were carried out prior to purchase," they said.

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Housing Policy

COMMENTS

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However, some people feel that governments should be spending money on housing, medical care, or defence, instead of on art. This essay will discuss whether governments should or should not spend money on the arts. There are several reasons why governments should not finance artists.
California Housing Crisis Essay
Ranked 49th among the 50 U.S. states for its number of housing units per capita, California has notoriously struggled with chronic shortages in its urban housing market. With 118,142 homeless people recorded in 2016, California holds almost 22% of the nation's homeless population (Fact Sheet: Homelessness in California 1). While median income ...
Housing white paper
The white paper "Fixing our broken housing market" sets out a broad range of reforms that government plans to introduce to help reform the housing market and increase the supply of new homes ...
Opinion
We found a way to add more than 500,000 homes — enough to house more than 1.3 million New Yorkers — without radically changing the character of the city's neighborhoods or altering its ...
China Has a Plan for Its Housing Crisis. Here's Why It's Not Enough
Xi Jinping, the country's leader, and his deputies have called on the government to buy them. The plan, announced last week, is the boldest move yet by Beijing to stop the tailspin of a housing ...
Affordable housing to stay out of reach in major economies due to lack
Major economies grappling with housing crises will struggle to crank up the supply of affordable homes in coming years, according to a Reuters poll of property analysts who said more government ...
Woodward Mill Elementary School Twins Among Delta Community's Essay
Many of the winning essays described increasing salaries for teachers and staff, offering after-school programs, providing healthier foods and snacks and buying playground equipment for students with special needs. ... Equal Housing Lender. ... a U.S. Government Agency. Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full ...
Fairer housing targets announced with incentives to ...
Fairer Housing Targets. The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to address the housing crisis by rebalancing housing growth across the state with a focus on well-located homes close to transport, jobs and existing infrastructure. For a long time, Western Sydney has accepted the overwhelming burden of new housing in our city ...
WA spent $5B over past decade on homelessness, housing programs
Between 2013 and 2021, spending on housing and homelessness programs averaged about $262 million under each two-year budget. In the past two budgets combined, it totaled upward of $4.2 billion ...
Five ways the next government can build a strong economy for all
The next government should introduce a National Energy Guarantee (NEG). This is a commitment to every family that, regardless of their means, they will be entitled to a minimum of essential energy for free or at heavily subsidised rates. This energy can keep their homes warm and power all their appliances. As consumption grows, the amount a ...
Canada, Ontario in deal for affordable housing amid soaring home costs
Canada's government and the province of Ontario struck a C$357 million deal on Tuesday to allocate federal funds to build affordable housing in the country's most populous province to help ...
Moscow Oblast
Moscow Oblast (Russian: Московская область, romanized: Moskovskaya oblast, IPA: [mɐˈskofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ], informally known as Подмосковье, Podmoskovye, IPA: [pədmɐˈskovʲjə]) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast).With a population of 8,524,665 (2021 Census) living in an area of 44,300 square kilometers (17,100 sq mi), it is one of the most densely ...
Victorian government spends $20m on affordable housing block linked to
Watch. 2m 19s. Victorian government spends $20m on affordable housing block linked to liquidated builder. When Jay Beckerleg and Jeffrey Stewart's names were drawn from the ballot, they made a ...