Why is it good to buy housing on the free market? why not supply it as a right and remove 35% of the costs?

[Mother Hubbard]

you know- interest, finance charges, service charges- all that is 35%-50% of the costs-
whats wrong with cutting out the charges through public housing?

Would that make Social Security go farther?

[Meh]

Have you ever been to a public housing project?

So, to get this right, you want to the individual to not have to pay for their home, but have the government provide it for them?

Even if you did that, I do not see what that would have to do with the SS program.

[I hate questions]

it worked SO well for the communists.

[chuck_junior]

Because it doesn't work that way and never will here in the United States. Free market society and all that.. Try England where you pay rent to the local housing councils.

Oh wait...you don't want to pay anything.....

NOT happening.

[punyminister507]

Show me which large government program is less expensive and we'll talk.

[How would I know]

The whole dating things sucks too.. let's just have the government assign us our mates. Also, it took me a few seconds to decide what shirt to wear this morning... can't the government dictate that for us? It would be a lot more efficient.

[Mike w]

If it's supplied by the government, it ceases to be a right, and becomes an entitlement. We have the right to own property, but that doesn't mean that anyone is obligated to provide it for us.

[John E]

You have never talked to a landlord, have you?

Without an ownership, there is little incentive for upkeep. Look at subsidized housing, no matter how nice it starts, it winds up a dumpy slum.

[Shovel Ready]

If you want to live in the housing projects, go right ahead. But why try to drag others down to your low standards?

[widefifth529]

You are right. Today the government could cheaply buy millions of vacant homes using emergency powers and eminent domain, and assign people to live in them based on need, they could even charge small rents just to cover maintenance and upkeep, but we're talking $200 a month, not the outrageous rents the free market wants to go into the bank accounts of people who are already wealthy.
There is a tremendous demand for public housing and no they are not all that bad. The free market does not want more built, they don't want the competition, they want people forced to just pay their rents.