Recurrent lockdown resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic has put to the forefront inequalities in the housing quality explains Maxwell Drever. While some individuals experienced the lockdown in a comfortable condition, others struggled with missing or overcrowding access to the Internet, computer system, etc.
The economic fallout resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic drains families’ ability to cover their expenses. Along with this, improper housing quality is another issue that puts people at risk. If you look at evidence from across the globe, you will see that overcrowded living conditions and high-density environments are all associated with COVID-19 infection.
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The way the government reacted to the crisis
After the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous governments came up with emergency housing support for the workforce population. You must be thinking, who constitutes the workforce population? The answer is the service providers.
According to Maxwell Drever around 70% of the people from society’s backbone serve the community differently. These individuals do not get shelter in and around their job location. Hence, governments have provided emergency services and protection to homeless individuals. These households with an area median income of 60 to 120% do not have access to luxury apartments. Initially, these steps were temporary, but today the crisis has extended. Hence, the workforce population has become the target of various governmental initiatives.
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The means of resolving the issue
Before the pandemic, various households struggled to pay rent and mortgage for housing. If you go by the national database, you will see that around half of the population does not get access to affordable housing units. These individuals become forced to stay in the suburban location, which does not have access to resources, puts forward Maxwell Drever. Hence, the probable solutions are listed below:
- Investment in social and affordable housing:Public investment in this avenue has increased in the last few years. Governments have realized the significance of social housing and its impact on the economy. Public investment in the real estate industry is crucial to reducing the gap between demand and supply of residences.
- Public support:Public support in the arena of housing may help reduce the scarcity of public resources. Tax advantages, incentives, and grants are now playing a vital role in scrapping or eliminating this issue of homelessness.
- Role of the rental market:In various countries, private rental needs require investment in rental supply. Measures include bringing a balance in governmental regulation and careful designing of rent stabilization measures.
Food, housing, and education are essential human requirements. Demand for affordable and social housing is increasing. It is a decent place for governments to invest their resources and help the economy start again. Governments should rethink their policy of providing a grant to real estate investors. Also, there must be smooth communication between the public and private sectors. Hence, the time has come for people to realize the significance of affordable housing. Only when people understand its importance do some drastic changes take shape. With proper modifications, it will become a reality.