Health and Social Services Minister Nelson Bascome has identified what he thinks are some of the main issues influencing Bermuda's housing crisis.

But solving the problems are not so simple. His is the biggest of all the Ministries and he recognises the magnitude of the task facing him every day. Anyone looking for a house to rent will tell you the main concerns are availability and affordability, with prices being determined by supply and demand.

"This is one of those issues that never goes away, it was an election issue and is an issue that subsequent Governments will also be looking to tackle," said the Minister.

"From where I sit, I look at it from the overall Island - how do we get to this situation and what creates a housing problem? For the most part it's been the family break-up, in that if you have a break-up or divorce then that means we need another (housing) unit. Bermuda has one of the highest rates of divorce in the world, so every time we have a divorce there is a call for another unit.

"The part of it is that our young people, because of our economic prosperity, are apt to find financial independence early in life and several of them decide to break away from home and have their own self contained unit. And boyfriend has his own apartment because he doesn't want to live with girlfriend and that puts stress on our housing situation."

The Bermuda Housing Corporation, which falls under Mr. Bascome's Ministry, is constantly bombarded with calls from desperate persons seeking affordable accommodation or assistance with the payment of their rents.

"Another thing that puts stress on our housing situation is that of abuse, alcohol and drugs, and a number of individuals have abused their tenant privileges by not paying rent or not maintaining their homes," said Mr. Bascome.

"Those are the key elements that we find ourselves in, but outside of that there is one external element as well and that is the element of international company business. From the early 1970s, when it started to take root here, it came into Bermuda without a plan in that they had a business plan, but in terms of expansion and growth for Bermuda and its 21 square miles, there was no housing plan."

Expertise in the job market helps to keep the economy strong, but there is inevitably a strain on housing, with many locals feeling overlooked in the job search in favour of higher paid expatriate workers.

"When you look around Hamilton now you see the office blocks and people calling for more office space, but there is still no plan," Mr. Bascome feels. "We can see one entrepreneur in the name of Sir John Swan going out and putting up an executive block, which is good for the city. As well, I have been talking with BIBA (Bermuda International Business Association) about the impact that international companies make on our housing market and what can they do to assist in alleviating some of that.

"It's not to say that the contribution that they already give to the community through all of their philanthropic efforts is not well received, but that's one small part of a bigger package that they need to be supporting the community with."

Mr. Bascome admits there are both good and bad tenants and good and bad landlords, so he sympathies with both parties.

"It's become very difficult in these times for a landlord to take the time to invest in a tenant who has probably moved around from place to place," said Bascome.

"Most times what you find is a landlord with a long relationship with a tenant who has been good in that not only is the rent paid but there is a care about the apartment.

"But then some landlords are tyrants and would cut off a tenant's water or electricity or issue verbal threats. We've seen some landlords take furniture and throw it out on the street.

""We've got those but we've also got some good landlords who have tolerated and worked with tenants where they, themselves, have gone into deep debt. Those are the landlords who don't want to be hassled with a bad tenant."

The Minister recently highlighted something of major concern to Government ... the decision of many landlords not to rent their apartments at all, for whatever reasons. He estimates there are well over 1,000 such accommodations around the Island.

"One of the early census results that has come across my desk is there are some 1,400 empty units in our Country and when you look at 1,400 units and you recognise that landlords would much rather leave their apartments empty, we had to then readdress our strategy in moving forward," said Mr. Bascome.

"In 21 square miles, one thing I'm concerned about and interested in is our environment in that our green space is being eaten up rapidly. For the average Bermudian, as much as they might call for us to build, build, build more houses, we also has to be conscious of future generations."

The Minister spoke of the programme that was kicked off earlier this year in which the Bermuda Housing Corporation becomes the tenants and assures landlords or having their rent on time.

"Not only would we come in if your apartment needs to be fixed up, but will find the tenant and guarantee your rent because the tenant will pay the rent to the Bermuda Housing Corporation," said Mr. Bascome.

"When the tenant leaves we will restore your apartment to pristine condition. That is something that's been very successful, quite a number of landlords are coming on board and is still an ongoing programme.

"If you think about it is a win-win situation. You have a house, it's sitting there empty, you say 'I want a tenant'. The Housing Corporation says 'okay, I'll be your tenant, I'll fix your place up, pay the rent and when I leave I'll make sure your place is fixed up probably better than when you gave it to me'."

Mr. Bascome dispels the common belief amongst some renters that most homeowners have lots of money.

"People think because a person has an apartment that they have money and most times that person has a mortgage to pay," he stressed.

"I know a number of persons who, rather than being stressed through that process, would much rather sell their house and move into a condo, and we've had quite a number of Bermudians who have done that.

"Most landlords, I would say, are fed up with having to deal with some of the tenants out there. Right now the Bermuda Housing Corporation is probably becoming the biggest landlord in Bermuda. That's something for Bermudian people to honestly and truly think about because we as a proud people have been self sufficient for years and now what is happening is that we're depending more and more upon Government to provide our services."