Al. Tsipras on the issue of housing: There are ways as long as there is political will

The president of SYRIZA-PS, Alexis Tsipras, develops his proposals on the issue of housing in the country, which is of particular concern to young people, noting that there are ways as long as there is political will. “The great political change that is coming to the country, will bring with it another logic on how we must deal with and solve the problems that concern the present and future generations. With absolute commitment to the public interest, guided by social justice , with honesty, method and social accountability “he emphasizes in his article on the” News 247 “website.

The president of SYRIZA blames the government for the accuracy that exhausts the disposable income and exacerbates the housing problem.

The following is a list of the three most commonly associated problems:

“- The first factor is the ratio of housing costs to income. When housing costs (rent or loan, water / electricity / utilities, cooling / heating) require 40% to 50% of a household income, then this is considered to be is in a housing crisis.

In Greece, 4 out of 10 households are in housing crisis (IME GSEVEE), 40% of the population, with European M.O. 9.2% and second place in Europe Bulgaria with 17.4%.

Household incomes in Greece are in the third worst position in Europe. They had lost 37% by 2015 and regained 20% by 2019.

– The second factor concerns the non-performing private debt of households and businesses with housing guarantee (red loans).

The red loans are increasing rapidly these two years due to the policies of Mr. Mitsotakis during the pandemic (insufficient BRIDGE program), reduction of incomes and increase of housing expenses.

To this was added the new bankruptcy law of ND, the auctions, the banks, the red loan management companies that create a unique situation in Europe where a large inactive housing stock accumulates and the unique wealth of Greek households is threatened. In fact, a new real estate bubble is being created with unforeseen consequences.

– The third factor concerns the state policies to ensure the constitutionally guaranteed right to decent housing.

“In Greece there has never been a substantial housing policy, nor a tradition of social housing, as in most European countries.”

Adjustment in short-term leases

Noting that the problem is exacerbated by AirBnb, he adds that in the last three years the increase in property and rent prices has reached an average of 32% and will be exacerbated by the increase in fair values ​​by 20% from 1/1/22 to 55% of areas of the country, as well as the increase in the value of new homes due to increases in building materials.

Mr. Tsipras argues that today we need a plan that will set rules in the field of short-term leasing and especially the creation of a new affordable Housing (POS) housing potential and adds: For this reason in our plan for affordable housing for young couples, which is one of our five key program commitments, we propose two simple steps to streamline short-term rental: First, the application of restrictive conditions for airbnb activity (2-3 properties / owner and manager) and second , the application of a mixed lease in tourist areas (8-9 months as a residence and 3 or 4 months as an airbnb).

“Affordable Housing (Affordable Housing) defines a decent home, owner or tenant, to which many households can not access based on their own resources. State intervention is therefore required to ensure that the creation of a stock of Affordable Housing (POS) “notes noting that this stock SYRIZA plans to create a stock of:

• empty, unused buildings of the state, the municipalities, the Church and non-profit organizations of public benefit purpose. Greece has the highest percentage of vacant buildings among the countries of the European Union (35.3%), ie 2,249,813 buildings according to the 2011 census.

• vacant abandoned private buildings in various Municipalities.

• private homes and apartments that will be made available or reassigned for rent thanks to a network of incentives, collateral and benefits from the state.

“The implementation of the rehabilitation projects of the first category is foreseen at the level of municipality or region with a specific legislative framework, which will follow the public procurement or innovative methods implemented in European countries such as: creation of cooperatives or structures of Social Solidarity Economy with future beneficiaries and unemployed from the professions of the construction industry.

The financing of the Local Government of the first and second degree is provided from national resources (state subdivisions, TA resources), European and international (ECB, NSRF, EEA), European Investment Bank, Green Fund and Recovery and Sustainability Fund “, adding noting Such a comprehensive proposal was submitted by Portugal, which directed resources to affordable housing both from grants and from all the small loans it received from the Recovery Fund.

According to the president of SYRIZA-PS, the third category concerning individuals is of particular importance, “because it does not require rehabilitation time and costs and can indeed be the direct regulatory factor of restraint and reduction of rents” and “applies in Barcelona (Bolsa de Vivienda) but also in Greece (Sun Program) “.

As he explains, this is a system of strong incentives offered to the owners to give their property to the Municipality for P.O.S. with lower market rent, and his party plan provides for the introduction of significant incentives and safeguards for landlords:

• Tax reliefs, abolition of rent tax and ENFIA

• Securing rent payment 12 months a year

• Fire safety and legal coverage

• Guarantee of good condition and renovation of the property after the end of the concession

• Energy upgrade of a property and an energy certificate.

“By combining all of the above, we aspire to quickly create a significant stock of affordable housing, which the state will manage to provide with social criteria in order to address the explosive housing problem, especially for young couples.

Therefore, in addition to the plan to create an affordable housing stock, we need a holistic strategy with steps that need to start today. For example, immediate action measures for housing in affordable housing for young couples up to 40 years old. Such as the rent subsidy from 140 euros per month per 1st person to 350 euros per month for a couple with 2 children. The measure concerns incomes from 10,000 euros per person up to 25,000 euros for a couple with 2 children. In addition, with targeted tax breaks for landlords who rent houses to young couples and young people, “he notes.

The political will is a precondition

Mr. Tsipras cites his government experience when – as he states – the Ministry of Labor mapped 650 abandoned buildings and with the necessary legislative interventions succeeded in utilizing about 400 properties through commercial exploitation, to argue that there are ways as long as there is political will. However he adds:

“But seriousness, method and plan are required. Things that in Mr. Mitsotakis’s Greece became an anecdote. The great political change that is coming to the country, will bring with it another logic on how we should deal with and solve the problems that concern the “current and future generations. With absolute commitment to the public interest, guided by social justice, honesty, method and social accountability.”

Source: AMPE