thenextguy@lemmy.world 1 week ago
In order for there to be any rental property at all, someone has to own it and be the landlord. Unless they think it should be the state. Or unless they think that everyone should always own the property where they live.
I didn’t think there is much of a logical argument for having no landlords whatsoever.
Who owns a hotel? Isn’t that just another type of landlord?
noscere@sh.itjust.works 1 week ago
elephantium@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Hey, not so fast. It’s easy to say that glibly, but the lines get kinda blurry when you consider long-term hotel stays and short-term rentals. What’s really the key difference between the apartment and the hotel when you’re staying at the former for a week at a time or the latter for a 3-month stint?
I’m not saying the Venn diagram is a circle, mind you, just that there’s definitely some overlap.
noscere@sh.itjust.works 1 week ago
I do see what you mean, but I am not sure arguing all the edge cases does anything but muddy the water. I mean I would argue that a hotel (even long term) is a hotel. Honestly, I would argue that the way housing is working right now, landlords who do short-term rentals are even worse than your standard landlord. Some cities are outlawing or heavily regulating them because they are so much more damaging (to society) than the more normal longterm landlord.
elephantium@lemmy.world 1 week ago
nimpnin@sopuli.xyz 1 week ago
Housing being a human right has nothing to do with getting rid of rental properties. If anything, having to buy a house is a lot bigger barrier to housing than rent.
What we need is rent to be affordable, and landlords to do their job, i.e. maintain and fix the apartments. There are many ways to achieve this: government owned housing, legal regulation, tenant unions etc. Everybody buing a house or an apartment is not one of them.
noscere@sh.itjust.works 1 week ago
I have read your comment more than a few times, trying to respond in good faith, but I am uncertain so I am going to ask before responding:
Are you arguing from a position that housing IS a human right but not related at all to property rights, and the government needs to make housing affordable enough to everyone.
-OR-
Are you arguing from a position that housing is NOT a human right, BUT “the rent is too damn high” and the government needs to fix it?
There is a lot of what you have to say that I think I agree with, but I keep reading your comment and I am not sure.
nimpnin@sopuli.xyz 1 week ago
I think housing is a human right but homeownership has nothing to do with it. Governmental intervention or renters organizing or both is required to secure the right.