Since housing is a fundamental human necessity, opinions are divided on whether citizens who cannot pay for it should be given free housing by the government. Even though there are some advantages to the government doing this, I strongly believe that the disadvantages outweigh them.
Admittedly, granting free houses for families may bring certain benefits for them. First, it helps lessen the financial burden on families as expenditure on housing is one of the largest expenses, especially in big metropolises where housing costs are increasing rapidly. Having the state pay for housing could lift people out of poverty, thereby saving money to invest in education and improve their quality of life. Additionally, government-paid housing can reduce the number of homelessness and social inequality. Free housing helps vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, unemployed and disabled individuals, be entitled to basic human rights – shelter – regardless of their income level.
However, the detrimental impacts of free housing far outweigh the aforementioned positive aspects. To begin with, doing this fosters the over-dependence of individuals on the government as they know that they will receive houses regardless of working. Consequently, it is the great help from the state that reduces citizens’ incentive to work harder and contribute more to their professionals, resulting in slowing down the companies’ development and a workforce lacking ambition and drive. Furthermore, free housing places a heavy burden on the government spending annually because it requires a huge amount of money while the state budget is limited. This can lead to budget cuts in more important areas (education, healthcare or technology), hindering the nation’s holistic development.