A statement from Action for Housing follows below:

Having read the two manifestos, we are now able to make our comments and observations on their respective housing commitments with as much objectivity as possible and as always in a non-partisan manner as befits an independent pressure group whose only aim is to try to improve the housing situation of all residents.

We are pleased to note that the GSD is committed to the building of 500 homes. This to be structured to target particular and short-term housing needs.

We note that the allocation of housing should be independent, and ministers will be prohibited from taking any decisions on allocations. These will be made by the established independent body. This is something we have been advocating for many years and we would welcome its implementation.

We also welcome the announcement that the criteria for allocations and guidelines of the new Housing Allocation Body will be published and that priority for allocations will be given to those on the medical and or social lists.

Means testing of rents is something we have been asking for in the past and we welcome its introduction in the GSD manifesto.

Other than saying that there is a need to reform the private housing market, the manifesto does not elaborate on the difficulties and often divisive intricacies involving housing in the private sector. Both pre and postwar dwellings represent opposing realities which are difficult to reconcile and need to be dealt with in an imaginative way and through dialogue. This is something the GSD will have to tackle should they form the next government.

The GSD highlight the need of a 30-year plan that would ensure having a clear direction in economic and development terms. However, it does not specify how this would tackle urban decay in the old town and how to recover those empty dilapidated buildings which could become habitable.

The GSLP/Liberals after years of refusing to construct housing for rental have now made a most welcome U-turn and have said that if returned to office, they will build additional rental stock in housing. But whereas they estimate that building affordable housing stock at an approximate rate of 200 units per year will be enough to achieve their goal of clearing the waiting list, they do not specify how many homes for rental they plan to construct. This is an omission they will have to clarify.

The GSLP/Liberals' manifesto devotes a section to Action for Housing's wish list which is encouraging. However, we note a contradiction. They state they will build additional general rental stock, then say they are particularly interested in exploring measures related to the construction of rental homes. We hope and trust that the first assertion is the correct one and not the second one.

The other items in our wish list are not dealt with categorically but with expressions such as "particularly interested in exploring" "being open to the idea of" "supporting the call for improved regulations" and "believing that transparency is crucial" We hope that these expressions will materialise in concrete and meaningful actions and policies.

To conclude they say they are committed to exploring our proposals further and that together we will strive to make meaningful progress on these important issues. We welcome this invitation, and we look forward to working together if they form the next government but always maintaining our absolute independence.

We look forward to having sight of the modernised Housing Act, the review of which has been in the making during the past three years. There are important aspects involving housing in the private sector which have not got a mention in the GSLP/Lib. manifesto and which we will have to investigate and discuss with whichever party forms the next government.

Both manifestos agree that housing is an important issue in our community which needs to be addressed by the construction of government housing for rental and through other means as mentioned by the GSLP/Libs which include the construction of so-called affordable low-cost housing for those who can afford them, new pensioner home ownership apartments, and more homes for rental for pensioners. We as a community must not continue to neglect those who for years have waited and continue to wait to be allocated decent homes. This is an unpalatable reality that some in our community would rather ignore.

Action for Housing will continue to fight for better housing for all those in need. We shall continue to confront the government of the day whenever we feel we must, and we shall continue to be willing to cooperate and work together with whoever is in government to improve and if possible, to eradicate Gibraltar's historic and chronic housing problem which has been and continues to be a blight in our society.