Housing

Sarah Hamill: More supply is not the simple answer if that housing is inadequate

The government needs to look at the big picture and address issues such as its role in providing housing, security of tenure and the quality of accommodation if we are to fix the housing problem

Housing which is adequate, affordable and available to all is achievable. But it will require the government to recognise the big picture

In the well-known parable of the blind men and the elephant, several blind men try to describe an elephant, but as each is only touching one part, they cannot agree on what it is. The current housing crisis is like the elephant in this story insofar as it is equal parts large, and has multiple facets that only make sense when viewed as a whole.

A popular claim among economists is that the housing crisis ...