Call for an increase in public sector housing on the Isle of Man

A failure to build enough social housing on the Isle of Man has driven up demand and rents in the private market, an MHK has said.

A set of plans to to improve the cost and accessibility of housing was approved by Tynwald on Tuesday.

Claire Christian said new public sector homes were needed "now more than ever".

But, chairman of the Housing and Communities Board Chris Thomas MHK said any new policies had to follow an "objective assessment of need".

The board's 12-month plan includes actions such as broadening qualifying criteria for the government's help to buy schemes and changes to allow some vulnerable people to access social security budgeting loans.

Mr Thomas said the body, which was set up in response to concerns about the affordability of homes on the island, would now begin an assessment to answer questions about housing need.

During the debate of the plan, Ms Christian said a failure to develop enough social housing in the past was "one the key reasons our housing crisis is where it is today".

"We need now more than ever to provide a new generation of social housing, so the cost of living for the most vulnerable is kept to the minimum," she added.

That call was echoed by Joney Faragher MHK who said building more stock was "probably the single most effective way we can address the crisis, and reduce poverty".

In response, Mr Thomas said the need for more public sector housing would need to be assessed before a decision on building new properties could be made.

He added: "It might be that we need lots more new social houses by the end of the year after we have done the analysis, but I don't think we should start off with a conclusion."

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