n almost every part of the world, expensive housing is closely associated with urban life. This is the underlying cause of many different problems, and civic planners are struggling to find solutions. I believe that the biggest, most important problem caused by high housing prices is homelessness. In my opinion, this problem can be addressed through rent control and welfare payments to low-income people.
Expensive urban housing leads to homelessness both directly and indirectly. The housing costs themselves cause some people to lose their homes, but such costs also drive up general prices, which can indirectly cause homelessness. For example, if a grocery store itself pays high rent, it must charge everyone more for food. This in turn forces landlords to charge more for rent in order to feed themselves. Once that happens, their tenants may have trouble paying the higher rent while also paying for more expensive food.
To reduce homelessness and make it easier for people to afford housing, I propose a twofold solution: limits on rent prices and increased welfare payments to the poor. Legally limiting rent fees will make housing much more affordable, while welfare payments can help people deal with the high costs of other goods. To give an example, if the government provides low-income people extra money for food, those people, in turn, have more room in their budget to pay rent. By employing both approaches, rent costs are directly reduced, and costs that compete with rent also go down.
In short, while expensive housing and homelessness are serious problems in cities, regulations and public assistance can help. The right kind of regulations will not only reduce the price of housing but also reduce general cost of living. This kind of government action is a win-win for everyone, whether they are homeless or not.
n
almost every part of the world, expensive housing is
closely
associated with urban life. This is the underlying cause of
many
different
problems
, and civic planners are struggling to find solutions. I believe that the biggest, most
important
problem
caused by high housing
prices
is homelessness. In my opinion, this
problem
can
be addressed
through
rent
control and welfare payments to low-income
people
.
Expensive urban housing leads to homelessness both
directly
and
indirectly
. The housing
costs
themselves cause
some
people
to lose their homes,
but
such
costs
also
drive up general
prices
, which can
indirectly
cause homelessness.
For example
, if a grocery store itself pays high
rent
, it
must
charge everyone more for food. This in turn forces landlords to charge more for
rent
in order to feed themselves. Once that happens, their tenants may have trouble paying the higher
rent
while
also
paying for more expensive food.
To
reduce
homelessness and
make
it easier for
people
to afford housing, I propose a twofold solution: limits on
rent
prices
and increased welfare payments to the poor.
Legally
limiting
rent
fees will
make
housing much more affordable, while welfare payments can
help
people
deal with the high
costs
of other
goods
. To give an example, if the
government
provides low-income
people
extra money for food, those
people
, in turn, have more room in their budget to pay
rent
. By employing both approaches,
rent
costs
are
directly
reduced
, and
costs
that compete with
rent
also
go down.
In short, while expensive housing and homelessness are serious
problems
in cities, regulations and public assistance can
help
. The right kind of regulations will not
only
reduce
the
price
of housing
but
also
reduce
general
cost
of living. This kind of
government
action is a win-win for everyone, whether they are homeless or not.