Radical solutions of the housing crisis

BBC is running a sensational piece of writing listing the ways that changes to the housing market could help.
Eight radical solutions to the housing crisis

Encourage elderly out of big houses.
Freestyle planning
Contain population growth
Force landlords to sell or let empty properties
Ban second homes
Guarantee mortgage payments
Live with extended family
Build more council homes

Are any of these really radical? The idea of containing population growth is an interesting one as the world approaches 7 billion. Does this include banning further immigration? What sort of restrictions could you fairly impose on the existing UK population without also stopping additional people coming in to the UK?
Some people already live with extended families. Intergeneratonal living does happen in the UK. Perhaps all the younger relatives of the lonely old people could move in to the big houses they’re accused of having. What is too big? Is a three bedroom house too big for one person? And how could you encourage people to move from their too big homes? Many old people hang on to their houses as they want to preserve the memories they had of living there, the family drama and events thats shape us are steeped into the homes we live in.

The two most sensible and easily achievable ideas are to force empty homes to be used and to build more homes. But genuinely affordable ones where rents are at a level that working and supporting a family without needing government support would be good.

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