“World War House?” Churchill prophesied that war in 1909 when he was the President of the Board of Trade. He lamented landlords gouging tenants, a chronic housing condition which caused suffering for the entire economy of Britain.
It took 42 years, but Churchill was able to attack the problem in 1951.
According to a recent article in i, Churchill’s vision and focus stands in contrast to that of Britain’s current prime minister. Boris Johnson has cried “Build, Build, Build” and evoked the memory of American President Roosevelt’s depression-era housing achievements. But far from following in FDR’s footsteps, Boris Johnson stands accused of introducing a warmed-over plate of Thatcherite small-government programs relasing the private sector from building regulations that protect renters from substandard housing.
Vicky Spratt, writing in i, suggests that Johnson would do well to follow the thinking and example of Britain’s own famous leader, rather than pretending to follow the lead of FDR: Planning Reforms Are A Disaster For Housing In The UK
Shelter, an agency in England that helps people with their housing needs, has just submitted a brief to government about the urgent need for more social housing. The brief puts a human face on that need. Read more at Shelter: Home Truths report
