Please write in if you know how to solve the housing crisis

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Development

RICS is calling on its members and the property sector at large to write in with practical solutions to the country's housing crisis.

The group says that, a year on from the Government's Housing Strategy, housebuilding levels are still well below required levels.

Now RICS has established a commission to look at ways of solving the problem.

The commission, says RICS, has a "unique opportunity to use the breadth of knowledge across the property industry to consider housing delivery from a holistic perspective and truly understand how each part of the sector impacts on the other".

Chairing the commission is Michael Newey, RICS President Elect and CEO of Broadland Housing. He will address the following questions:

Effective Subsidies: How affordable can future housing be and how should subsidised housing be paid for?

Improving Stock Quality: How can we improve our existing stock quickly and sustainably to create homes which meet the standards we need?

Regulation: What regulation is appropriate and what outcomes should regulation be designed to achieve?

Land Availability: How do we ensure that there is enough land in the right places to meet the need for new homes?

Facilitating Investment in the rental sector: How do policy makers and practitioners ensure that affordable rented housing is attractive to institutional investors?

RICS hopes to publish a report in June.

Mr Newey said: "Since the recession first began there has been a great deal of discussion as to what should and shouldn’t be done to get housing supply moving again. With the country well and truly in the grips of an economic downturn it is vital that the market is kept as buoyant and active as possible. This begins with boosting housing supply across the country in areas where it’s needed.

"We are looking for input and from our members and those in the wider property sector to contribute and offer their thoughts and advice on initiatives and proposals that can help boost housing supply across the UK. We’re also interested in hearing from those in the not-for-profit housing sector, investors, developers, stakeholders and public interest bodies."