In the last century, rising real estate prices meant prosperity. We said to ourselves that if construction goes, the economy goes and so everything goes. It caused the pain syndrome, aptly named by former minister Monique Jérôme-Forget.
But we are no longer in the last century. We are facing a housing crisis in the context of an environmental crisis and a labor shortage. Consuming additional resources should no longer be the initially and spontaneously considered solution. It should rather be the optimization of the housing stock. In addition, a crisis rhymes with urgency, so concepts that require several months of effort should not be the ones we favor. I know that the media tend to be sensationalists and talk about a crisis for everything and nothing, but when we see families on the street, it seems to me a real crisis and we should react to it and all act, to the extent of our abilities; NOW !
While accommodation is reserved for privileged tourists or ” party animals we house our homeless families in hotel rooms. I know I’m not the only one to see the irony and absurdity of this situation. Why doesn’t the state immediately claim these accommodations displayed on Airbnb (and other similar services) to make them low-cost accommodations? Why don’t we politely get rid of these elite scourges that are the Airbnbs of this world, which have no place in the context of a housing crisis?
If, like me, we think that housing is an essential good, in the same way as food, then we must prevent people from speculating with these goods. If we saw investors accumulating stocks of wheat grains to drive up the price, we would be offended. It should be the same with real estate. So having a home is an essential good, and all additional accommodation is a luxury, which should be taxed as such. If there is an annual increase in the value of secondary dwellings, inhabited or not, this capital gain is immediately taxed.
I was amazed when my financial advisor suggested I invest in real estate. Being one of the privileged, in large part because my house has tripled in value in the last 20 years, without any particular effort on my part, I can afford to consider investments. “But from there to investing in secondary housing during a housing crisis, you really have to be oblivious,” I told him. “But everyone does, don’t miss the boat,” he told me. So, if I understand correctly, the privileged, in addition to very little helping those who are badly taken, harm them by driving up housing prices. Beautiful solidarity! And it’s also unfair to the future generation, our own children, who won’t have access to housing as easily as we do. We must therefore realize our chance by changing the trend.
For those who have second homes in town, at least have the decency to fill them well with tenants, and not just the great-nephew who pays low rent to ensure minimal maintenance. This is without mentioning, for some, our large cabins, energy consumers, which could easily accommodate several families rather than beautiful antique furniture that collects dust…
There are solutions of this century at hand, effective and available quickly to end this housing crisis. Let’s apply them now, all together, rather than turning to the solutions of the last century.