Posted on 10/23/2011 5:55:55 PM PDT by little jeremiah
25million empty bedrooms across the country at a time when many are struggling to bu
Older people should be taxed out of their family homes to free up space for younger generations, says a report backed by Labour.
It argues that 'empty nesters' in their 60s are taking up too much room and should be 'encouraged' by a new 'land tax' to downsize to smaller homes.
The call comes from the Intergenerational Foundation, a left-leaning think-tank that aims to 'promote fairness between generations'.
Labour MP Tessa Jowell sponsored the report's launch in a Commons hospitality room yesterday, saying the current situation ran against Ed Miliband's vision for Britain.
But the 'bedroom blocker' plan drew condemnation from Tory ministers and pressure groups for older people.
Tory housing minister Grant Shapps said: 'We do not agree that people should be taxed or bullied out of their homes.'
The Intergenerational Foundation says there are 25million unused bedrooms in the country and eight million ‘under-occupied’ homes. More than half of people aged over 65 live in homes with two or more spare bedrooms that could be used by young families, it adds.
The report, Hoarding of Housing, says: ‘While younger families are increasingly being squeezed into small flats and under-sized houses, older people are often rattling around in big houses with many bedrooms standing empty, often for years.’
Report co-author Matthew Griffiths said: ‘It is perfectly understandable that retired people cling to their home long after it has outlived its usefulness as a place to bring a family up in.
‘But there are profound social consequences of their actions which are now causing real problems in a country where new house building is almost non-existent.
< snip >
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
And even if a mean selfish old person wants to live alone in a big house - it’s not against the law to be mean and selfish!
If there really truly is not enough housing, they could give people with extra rooms some kind of tax incentive for renting out a room!
Good post, LJ! Those Labour Brits are something else, eh?
Don’t think it can’t happen .Back min medieval times soylent green was known as long pig.
I feel stupid. I should have at least done a little homework before I shot in the dark. My wife was quick to jump on my error.
Great Britain Population Density: 717 people per square mile.
United States 87 People per square mile.
Japan has 873 people per square mile.
I guess I didn’t realize that Britain was just short of a Japan like population density.
Ouch, I’d rather be shot than slashed with a knife or sword..
I assume that the young families will be on welfare.
Communism. plain and simple.
They (who know better) tell you what your house should be used for. This is a well planned step towards the elimination of private property.
Keep a keen eye on this folks. Some of the rhetoric coming from Obama and the unions is getting close to suggesting this here. This is straight from OWS.
so that makes more state owned property not paying taxes...
“Hoarding of Housing”
Great. How long before this absurdity comes to the US? Private property? Nah, just another part of the collective.
Don’t you love it when the state gets to decide when you have too much of something??!?
Some communist dreams up a catchy, insulting name, intended to convey greed, and there you are!
In one of C.S.Lewis’ books he mentions that one could not cut a tree, make it into boards and build a shed on one’s own property without permits and so forth. And that was a long time ago.
Heck, it’s really just one more step on the road to elimination of private lives!
The last of the baby boomers are going to be kicked out of their homes, have their assests re-distributed, and then be put to death by death panels.
This will happen as soon as enough of them have died to no longer pose a political threat any longer.
Seriously, things are going to get really bad.
Eventually, they will leave those “too large” home...to their kids or grandkids.
Ad hat “eventually will be sooner than most “over 60s” realize, with the state of the NHS and government rationing policies being what they are.
Like she said, it isn't an armed populace. Nobody said no one had any arms.
Who are these people that always think government force is the solution to changing people’s behavior ?
What about building new communities that old people WANT to move to ? How about a PR campaign reminding these people how much richer their retirements could be if they sell and downsize to the countryside ?
What about encouraging developers to build new centers for business and housing that will appeal more to young families just starting out ? It amazes me how much people have to pay for tiny apartments and row houses in the big cities. We should be building new cities with business, housing and recreation that serves the new generation instead of trying to cram more and more people into decaying cities with infrastructure designed centuries ago.
Excellent comment! I’m going to use that line frequently.
Central planning and enforcement of said (rotten) plans always leads from the frying pan into the fire.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.