AMID growing frustration over the sharp rise in rents, particularly in Limassol, the House Interior Committee is set to look for possible solutions at the initiative of the Green Party.
In a statement announcing that the committee will be probing the issue, the Greens cited recent reports of families who have found themselves homeless because rents are too expensive. This was an issue of concern and action must be taken to find solutions, they added.
They said that House Interior Committee chairwoman Eleni Mavrou had agreed to table the issue for discussion.
The Greens added that the problem was particularly acute for students, with many having to interrupt their studies.
Speaking on Radio Active yesterday, Lefteris Georgiou of the Movement Against Excessive Rents cited the case of two families who have found themselves on the streets because they could not afford to pay their rent.
He said that in the first instance the landlord had evicted the family so that he could rent the house at triple the rent. The second case involved a low-income family that had fallen behind on their payments. And he said that one person he knew of has been sleeping on the streets for the past two years.
According to Georgiou, one solution – which has been rejected by Limassol Municipality – was to temporarily accommodate these families in 24 houses on Mishiaouli and Kavasoglu street. These houses have been found to be unsuitable by Limassol Municipality even though families are living in exactly the same houses in Ayios Nicolaos area, he said.
Students who cannot live at home ie are from overseas, should be offered accommodation at a reasonable price by the University.
Landlords need closer scrutiny and the government needs to build a stock of social housing for those who cannot afford greedy landord’s private accommodation.
Ivory towers spring to mind! Why say that this housing that was suggestèd as temporary accommodation was unsuitable? Surely any housing is better than being on the street? Some people have no idea how being homeless impacts on so many areas of your life. They need homes, there are some. Use them!