SOARING house prices allied to a shortage of supply means many families and young people have given up hope of finding somewhere to call their own.
The Government has announced plans to build three million new homes to tackle the crisis. But will it really solve the problem?
Many are ear-marked for flood plains. Let's hope they speak to the thousands of people whose homes are still underwater or have been wrecked by the recent floods.
The huge house building programme will also take more than a decade to complete. That doesn't help those in need now.
So news that a crack down by Birmingham City Council on landlords who leave properties standing empty has shown results is particularly welcome.
The number of deserted properties in the city has been slashed by a third thanks to a carrot and stick approach.
Landlords have been offered help to bring their properties up to scratch so they can be sold or rented.
Those who ignored the council's warnings have had their properties seized.
Such a tough approach is needed. Empty and neglected properties blight all our lives.
They become magnets for vandalism and other anti-social behaviour.
More than 12,000 homes still remain empty and the council admits there's still some way to go.
But credit where credit's due. The council's hard-hitting initiative has shown dramatic results.
Keep up the good work.