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Anonymous 2 – 16th May 2021
Scrutiny Matters Feedback - Barriers to the development of affordable housing
The greatest challenges and barriers to the development of affordable homes in Jersey, is the Government itself. They don't address the problem of population control, in fact, every new development of houses and flats that they pass for building, is making it worse. They need to stop outside investors driving up the prices, but they have done nothing about this. They need to put a cap on property prices and start charging a hefty Capital Gains Tax in order to put a halt to property speculation. Being able to house oneself and one's family is a basic human need and it should never, ever have been allowed to become a way for the wealthy privileged to make even more money. Take away the means for people to make a quick buck and you will solve the housing crisis and the population problem in one swoop - all the greedy people who are here, solely to make money and give nothing back to the community will leave pretty quick.
One other point, if I may....is the problems created by the very high divorce rate. When families separate, it means the need for more housing goes up, as 2 homes are needed for that one family instead of one. The divorce rate is very high. We often hear about the need for 'first time buyers' homes but actually, we need 'affordable' homes, not just for first time buyers but also for separated families and young people/families starting out on the property ladder.