Release of Government Rental Properties “Still Not Enough To Tackle Waiting List” Says Action For Housing

Written by YGTV Team on 03 January 2023.

Action for Housing has said that the number of Government rental flats due to be released after the allocation of affordable housing schemes “will still not be enough to tackle the total number of applicants on the waiting list.”

A statement continued:

“During an exchange in Parliament, the Minister for Housing, Mr Steven Linares said that 161 government rental properties of varying sizes would be released as the affordable schemes became available in the coming years. Since this figure did not seem all that impressive, both the Minster for Housing and the Chief Minister said there would be a “domino effect” given that for each property released there could be additional movements on the housing lists as existing tenants are relocated into large homes, turn releasing additional properties. This could mean that the 161 properties could be multiplied by up to three or four, which could end up being a consequential number.

“The Ministers are correct in saying that the 161 flats being released could, when being relocated, yield an extra number of housing units. This has happened in the past. But to say that the figure of 161 could be multiplied by three, or even four, is excessive and far-fetched.

“The waiting list as at 31st December 2021 has 792 applicants. This means that even if the 161 flats which are going to be released yield an extra few properties and the allocation of the pensioners’ flats also releases a further number of flats as yet unknown, these will still not be enough to tackle the total number of applicants on the waiting list.

“The only way to eliminate the chronic and very lengthy waiting time for applicants on the waiting list is for the Government to construct housing for rental. Regrettably, the Government refuses to do this and instead prefers to engage in figure juggling to try to convince the general public that this exercise will go a long way towards resolving our chronic housing problem. We are not convinced.”