Michael Falzon asks if social housing entitlement should end if household situation improves

Social Solidarity Minister says social housing system needs to be re-evaluated, as Parliament discusses the Housing Authority

MPs discussed whether household entitlement to social housing should be tied to their ongoing need for it
MPs discussed whether household entitlement to social housing should be tied to their ongoing need for it

It has to be discussed whether social housing entitlement will be directly linked to a household’s ongoing situation, and a decision would eventually have to be made on whether people given such housing would be able to keep it ‘for eternity’, Social Solidarity Minister Michael Falzon said.

During Parliament’s discussion on the Housing Authority this evening, Falzon said that it had to be discussed whether government housing should only be given to households as long as they needed it, and, in the event that they could later stand on their own feet, it should be withdrawn and given to others who needed it more. This was tied to the issue of whether social housing should be inherited, he said.

Falzon highlighted that Malta should be happy to have an 80% rate of home-ownership.

Nationalist MP Ivan Bartolo agreed with this, saying that a culture should be introduced whereby social housing is only given to those who really need it.

Bartolo, however, said that government assistance should be provided to ensure everyone in the country had a place to live.

Echoing these sentiments, Democratic Party MP Godfrey Farrugia said everyone had a right to a roof over their heads.

“We need affordable housing, which doesn’t make you become a slave to your job just to pay it off,” he remarked, adding that the current means test for social housing used an income bracket which was too low, resulting in a section of society being left out.

Claudio Grech: If economy is doing well, why no drop in social housing requests?

Nationalist MP Claudio Grech said that successive government had evolved Malta’ social welfare framework into a populist one, in which social housing ended up becoming something a household could hold onto forever, instead of it being a form of help until they could afford their own place to live.

He asked why there hadn’t been a drop in social housing applications, despite the economy currently being strong.

Applications for social housing amount to around 3,200, which is similar to the amount there was in 2013, social accommodation parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes later responded.

“When the economy is doing well, housing costs are generally higher than when it is not in such a positive situation. A strong economy might result in less affordable housing,” he said.