A better way to generate affordable projects would be to remove regulatory obstacles, starting with reducing the direct involvement of government agencies in building low-cost homes, according to Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) senior fellow Dr Carmelo Ferlito.
“In contrast with what is suggested by the National Housing Policy, too-strict requirements for low-cost developments (i.e. minimum size) should be avoided in order to facilitate the interaction between supply and demand, taking into account the location and size factors, and therefore allowing lower income people to move toward the economic heart of the country, supporting thus not only their housing issues but also promoting their possibilities for a higher degree of social mobility” he said in a new policy paper titled “The Property Market, Affordability and the Malaysian National Housing Policy”.
