The affordable housing issue is one of the most hotly contested topics in the upcoming General Election.

The need for affordable and adequate housing has been a topic of growing concern as increasing numbers of Island residents complain of high rents and crowded living conditions.

The two individuals spotlighted in the debate are Housing Minister Wayne Furbert and Shadow Housing Minister Renee Webb.

But despite numerous telephone calls to his Ministry and his home, Mr. Furbert did not participate in the pre-Election focus on housing.

However, Ms Webb along with NLP chair Charles Jeffers and representatives from housing pressure groups spoke with The Royal Gazette about solving Bermuda's housing crisis.

Ms Webb said: "The right to shelter is a basic human right, and it is the responsibility of Government to ensure all citizens are adequately housed.'' Ms Webb said the PLP's stance on the housing issue addressed four primary concerns: The establishment of affordable housing to meet the needs of low-income families; Reforming the Rent Control system; Availability of emergency housing; and Providing housing for the elderly population.

Ms Webb criticised the system of housing assistance where rents are set approximately at market value and families are subsidised for the difference.

And she stated: "Instead of building low-income housing and charging them a set rent, we would set rents according to the needs of individual families.

"The PLP believes that people should be paying 25 percent of their income on rent -- so if they're making $1,000 per month, they should be paying $250 rent.

"But a means test should also be developed to take into account the make-up of the family, including the number of children in the family.

"The PLP doesn't believe you should set the rents of Government housing out of the reach of low-income families and then subsidise them -- that's an internal transaction.

"That whole system creates a dependency syndrome and welfare mentality -- secondly, it's very demeaning to have to go and beg for it,'' she added.

And she said the means test for each family in Government housing should be reviewed on a yearly basis to see if the rent should be increased or decreased, contingent upon changes in their financial status.

"If not, you have the current situation where Government is having to evict some tenants -- which is absolutely ludicrous,'' she said.

Ms Webb said the rent control system needed to be examined and revamped -- since it had not fulfilled its original purpose and in some cases even backfired.

"Low income families -- and in some cases, medium-income families -- are finding it hard to pay market rents because the market rate of rent in Bermuda is too high,'' she said.

And she noted that numbers of non-Bermudians living in apartments under rent control put a strain on the market and limited the number of units available to low-income Bermudian families.

"Rent control was put in place to protect low-income families -- but it hasn't worked as it was envisioned to work -- and the whole system needs to be readdressed.'' Ms Webb was a strong advocate for ensuring the availability of emergency housing, and said some of the Southside properties at the former US base lands should be used.

"There will always be a need for emergency housing -- whether people are evicted or experiencing a marriage break-up,'' she said.

In addition to the increasing problem of homelessness, Ms Webb noted that the issue of overcrowding and "doubling-up'' also needed to be addressed.

"This is an issue that is very, very, real, and people call every day -- I know of one couple with three children living in a studio apartment,'' she said.

And Ms Webb said it was an "outrageous travesty'' that Government would destroy -- and then rebuild -- the Southside properties, and stated: "They're taking down those houses out of economic greed.'' Ms Webb said a PLP Government would help fund housing for seniors, and stated: "Seniors have served our community well, and should not have to worry about housing if they don't have family to take them in.'' The Shadow Housing Minister was sceptical about Government's recently announced plans to build 100 new houses, and said Government had not given enough information about the cost of the plan, the locations of the proposed units or the feasibility of the project.

"Government has given a piecemeal, reactionary response that has no long-term vision...this situation didn't get this way overnight,'' Ms Webb said.

NLP chairman Charles Jeffers echoed many of Ms Webb's concerns and gave his own suggestions for solutions.

Mr. Jeffers called for stricter guidelines governing rental units to protect both tenants and landlords.

And he suggested creating a "boarding house'' type situation for low-income families with rent collected on a weekly basis and a separate apartment set up for a caretaker.

Mr. Jeffers said Government should offer incentives to landlords who are willing to rent at reasonable rates such as giving relief on land tax.

He applauded Government's recent offering of the "Step-Up'' mortgage plan, but questioned its timing.

And he criticised the UBP, stating: "The conservative party doesn't serve people at the lower end of the scale the way they should -- and in a country as affluent as Bermuda, shame on us if we don't take care of food, clothing, and shelter.'' Coreen Tucker, Kim Tucker, and Rosemarie Pedro spoke with The Royal Gazette on behalf of the National Tenants and Future Homeowner's Association (NTFHA) and the People's Coalition for Affordable Housing (PCAH).

They called for a survey to determine Island's housing needs which could be used to guide them in stabilising rents in the private sector.

Ms Tucker accused the present Government of playing "catch-up'' with rents instead of setting an example.

The representatives also suggested that the various housing quangos be subsumed under the single umbrella of the Bermuda Housing Corporation -- where guidelines would be set for Government properties across the board.

HOUSING HSG