Driver Category 5.3

Unequal access to safe, secure and quality housing

This driver captures factors that drive unequal access to safe, secure and good quality housing. This may be due to lack of social housing, affordable housing, emergency housing, rent assistance, regulations on housing standards, regulations on rent, as well as the adaptability of housing for those with disabilities.

The concept of financialisation with regard to housing and its impacts on affordability is also included here.

Guiding Questions

General questions

What are the most urgent challenges with regard to the provision of affordable housing? Which locations have particular problems with housing quality and availability? Are slums and informal settlements growing in major cities?
Is the government committed to the development of affordable housing? What evidence exists regarding steps the government is taking to achieve this?
What are the major problems related to the standard of housing? What proportion of the existing public and social housing stock would be rated substandard? What policies are there to improve substandard public and social housing? What policies are there for slum upgrading?

Housing budget

What is level of public expenditure on housing development?
What is the government spending on the development of affordable housing compared to housing allowances?
How are these allocations changing?
What is the mix of funding for affordable/social housing development?
What is the government contributing?
What are bilateral and multilateral organisations contributing in grants and loans?
What private financing is being sought and what arrangements are being used to leverage private finance?

Housing policy

Is the government increasing or reducing its role in the direct supply of housing?
What is the government's role in housing planning and setting regulatory frameworks to guide urban planning and the provision of housing (particularly at prices people can afford)?
What is government policy in relation to urban land?
Is the government partnering with for profit, limited-profit or non-profit developers?
What requirements are made of private developers?
Are there obligations to reserve a fixed percentage of housing in private developments for low-income residents?
What is the percentage of social/affordable housing of the total housing stock?
Are affordable houses for low-income families in segregated neighbourhoods or is there a policy to mix housing types and land-use?
What is the residential pattern of minorities?
Is the concentration of particular groups in certain disadvantaged areas seen as problematic?
What is the coverage of social protection systems in relation to housing?
Does the housing allowance system enable recipients to cover their rent?
Does the system succeed in preventing low-income families from living in substandard quality houses?
Do housing policies emphasise construction of sustainable buildings (those with low or zero carbon emissions)?
Do policies ensure construction of houses that are safe given the risk of natural disasters present in that region (e.g. floods, mudslides, earthquakes)?
Is social housing built according to appropriate safety and security standards?
Is there an adequate share of social housing adapted for people with disabilities or the elderly?

Home ownership

What are the forms of subsidy available to property owners and what are the costs of these to the government in terms of tax revenue sacrifice (e.g. preferential tax treatment for first time buyers; ability of landlords to deduct mortgage interest when calculating rental income tax; ability of homeowners to deduct mortgage interest for homes and land from personal income taxes)??
How do these tax losses compare to costs of housing allowances and rental subsidies aimed at benefiting low-income households?
What is the status of regulation of the mortgage industry??
Are there sufficient regulations to guard against predatory lending and ensure responsible and safe lending practices??
Are there examples of discrimination in mortgage practices??
Is there sufficient oversight of intermediaries involved in mortgage lending to guard against fraud and collusive practices?
What is the status of rules to protect borrowers in relation to difficulties with payments, foreclosures and evictions??
Can borrowers get assistance with debt restructuring??
Is there a suitable bankruptcy law that provides fair, accessible pathways to discharging mortgage debt??
Are vulnerable people protected against eviction?
What is the stock of vacant houses in the country??
How does this compare to the number of homeless people and/or the number of people evicted this year?
What measures is the government taking to address houses purchased for purely speculative purposes (or as a vehicle for tax avoidance by overseas landlords)??
What tax policies does the government apply to vacant homes (e.g. existence of a special high rate ‘empty property tax’ and other tax measures for second properties)?

Rental market

How is the rental market regulated? Are there forms of rental price controls?
Are these linked to tenants incomes or actual expenditure on investments or some other benchmark?
What are the issues related to affordability and how are these being tackled?
Is there evidence of discrimination in how housing allowances are granted?
What is the status of legislation to protect tenants?

Homelessness

What is the nature of homelessness in your country?
Is there data available on the scale of primary and secondary homelessness?
Is there information available on the groups who are most at risk of being homelessness?
What is the nature of services provided for the homeless?
Who provides services (e.g. local governments, specialised agency, non-profit organisations)?
What funding is made available for service provision in this area?
Are budgets commensurate with needs in this area and allocated equitably across locations to respond to needs that have been assessed?
What preventive activities and services does the government provide to avoid homelessness?
Are people at risk identified by housing agencies/associations or through early warning systems for those with high mortgage arrears?
Is advice and information on housing support options freely available and easily accessible?
Can people easily access advice regarding the benefits system and dealing with rent arrears?
Are debt-counselling services widely available?
Are groups such as young people, care leavers, ex-offenders and refugees properly served by preventive and support services?
What temporary accommodation is available for homeless people?
Are there efforts to coordinate with any necessary additional support services (e.g. mental health services or substance abuse services)?
What are the costs of temporary accommodation and are budgets sufficient in this area?

Indicators

Potential indicators to monitor the drivers of inequalities in this main driver category

% of national budget / % of GDP spent on housing development
% of housing budget spent on housing allowances
Number of social housing units and % of social housing units out of total housing stock
Number of vacant houses
Number of second homeowners
Number of homeless (national and per region)
Amount spent on homelessness (total and disaggregated for key programmes such as prevention strategies, temporary accommodation)
Amount spent on slum upgrading

Candidate Policies

To see related Candidate Policies in this main driver category please click here.