Friday, February 20, 2009

DH's Housing Recovery Plan: Musical Houses

What hope is there for conventional responses to the rising tide of homelessness when according to the NY Times even the massive $275 billion thrown at the problem by Obama's recovery plan  will not come close to halting the tidal wave of foreclosures. Nor would it provide much help to millions of homeowners who are "under water," or holding mortgages that are bigger that the market value of their houses
 
So here's DH's stab at a simple solution: Musical Houses
 
After sufficient advance notice, at exactly midnight, the national broadcaster simply plays Advance Australia Fair. When the music stops... you aquire the title deeds to whatever residence your bum happens to be parked on. (Only one bum per household allowed!)
 
It's true that some worthy people might miss out. Well they shouldn't have been out on the tiles on Musical Houses night, should they?. But isn't it gratifying to know this simple measure simply wipes out private property and landlords at a stroke?
 
As for those who miss out because they're homeless and don't have a foot in any doors so what else is new? Besides they can be relocated in batches to liven up all those empty and forlorn holiday MacMansions currently blighting all our national beauty spots. .
 
In other parlance, you might call DH's scheme Nationalising Private Property, but Musical Houses sounds so much more fun.
 
Besides all decent, upstanding Australians have been schooled since our 3rd Birthday Party to cop it sweet when the music stops, and not throw a tanty.  If only the same could be said of the property-owning few, who scream blue murder and threaten to transfer their assets to the Bahamas everytime anyone tries to take their negative geary thingee off them.  

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I read an article about "new generation housing" recognising that borderline workers require the stability that public housing provides. Other countries realise that if there is such a thing as an inalienable right it must include housing. You have to reward effort however. Harbourside mansions will not be on the public list.