'Our Housing Disaster' ii

'Our Housing Disaster'
Image: Goodreads

Late to reading about economics, apart from the 'quality press' and an 'O' level in social history (which has actually been really useful in my nursing career), this book can ground and crystallize 'housing' as heard and viewed in the news.

I've a love for hi-fi that I share with Julian Richer, but my wealth lies elsewhere and is decidedly non-monetary. Reading his column in The Sunday Times, I'm impressed with Mr Richer's insight and the extent of his philanthropy. The book notes several initiatives and collaborations, e.g. TaxWatch -https://www.taxwatchuk.org/

On the news you hear of 'intervention' in the market - usually equity or bonds. You - the government - can intervene, or let the market, a market by implication, look after itself. Markets find their own equilibrium, shift to stability ultimately; and this despite economic crises, billion-busting scandals and political parties totally screwing-up.

So, it appears governments have allowed the housing market, to make its own moves.

It's back to the future, the 18th century of laissez-faire: the market has spoken, and its a utter mess.

The book's contents are well structured and delivered in full.

Introduction
1 Disaster? What Housing Disaster?
2 A Housing Crisis That Harms
3 Where Did Housing Go Wrong?
4 The Rise of Renting
5 The Shrinking of Social Housing
6 Underregulated and Oversubscribed
7 Land and Planning: The Price of Permission
8 Making Better Use of Buildings and Land
9 Building a Solution
10 Time for Action - My Housing Manifesto
Conclusion

OHD covers the population as a whole, but 'health' is very well represented in terms of personnel and the impacts of lack of housing and poor quality, unregulated housing: 

'Inability to afford housing is one of the grievances feeding into strikes by public sector workers - even better-paid ones. A survey by the British Medical Association (BMA) in December 2022 found that nearly half (45.3%) of junior doctors had struggled to afford their rent or mortgage in the past year. To earn more, some were taking on extra shifts and the BMA said this added to its concerns around junior doctor exhaustion and burnout. 

The consequences reach out to the public at large, as housing problems hit staff recruitment in health services, education and so on. The NHS visibly cant cope: basic structures are crumbling.' p.25.

We can imagine the anxiety and depression this might provoke. Even for people you might think (assume) would be ordinarily resilient. These are clearly extraordinary times. An email - RCN Magazine - today supports the same conclusion:

The relationship between health and housing is not limited to chapter 2. In chapter 2 though damp and mould (yes a specific case), unsanitary conditions the loss of environment health officers and skilled personnel, reminded me of decades ago an article in HSJ, or in that 'quality press' about the community health councils - CHCs having their teeth extracted. Public (MENTAL) health has taken a stunning fall and desperately needs to be put back together.

More to follow...