It is said that food, shelter and clothing are the three basic necessities of life. We have never heard anyone verbally disagree but we wonder whether any of our governments, both past and present, really believe in the importance of the shelter aspect of the triad.

How many times have we questioned the reasons for the housing crisis in Bermuda? How many times have we pondered what should be done? How many times have we queried government's commitment and approaches to finding comprehensive solutions to this complex challenge? We have chosen the term `complex challenge' because we believe that the dearth of affordable housing is a major contributing factor to many of the social ills with which we are forced to grapple as families, as communities, and as a country.

We may never know the full extent of the housing crisis, as there are many individuals and families who suffer in silence. There are those who may be putting their young families at risk by working at too many jobs for too many hours to pay rents that, realistically speaking, are way above their means.

Others are exposing their children to risks of sexual, emotional, physical and mental abuse because of overcrowding and/or unsatisfactory living conditions caused through house sharing with individuals of dubious character and behaviour.

One does not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that overcrowded, disruptive and unsettling living conditions could have detrimental effects on students. Teachers and children's psychologists will attest to the challenges faced in classrooms that could be indirectly attributed to the effects of the critical inadequate housing situation.

We are convinced that there is an association between unbearable conditions in homes and a large number of the young men and women we see hanging about on walls and on street corners. Bored, unhappy and maladjusted young people are natural targets for the drug trade, both as users and dealers. Pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are also dangers to which they are exposed and may be placed at a higher than normal risk.

Two parent households are not immune. The lack of affordable houses and the high cost of available houses are two factors that put strains on marriages and families. The pressure and stress exerted by unfavourable financial circumstances in some family circles are manifested through antisocial behaviour. Mental and/or physical abuse, infidelity, separation and divorce are the unfortunate results in several cases.

Just as the outcomes of the housing crisis adversely effect families, communities, and the country as a whole, I believe that the solutions can be found in a partnership of families, communities and the country.

Family members can explore the possibilities of pooling resources for home purchases. (Some have already done so with varying degrees of success.) Today, banks and other lending institutions are offering much more flexibility in mortgages than in the past. There are still some affordable properties available that can be transformed into modest but comfortable homes with an apartment or two for participating family members or for rental income.

Churches, clubs, parish councils, business, professional and community organisations could be organising workshops to give advice and to offer assistance in planning and budgeting for interested individuals, families and partnerships.

If our government regards adequate housing as a necessary ingredient for a stable country; if our government recognises that adequate housing can bring hope to individuals and families who feel that they are in the middle of a fight that they cannot win; if our government accepts that acceptable living conditions will bear fruit in the classroom; if our government can visualise the possible financial savings to the country if more of our citizens regard themselves as stakeholders and thus disengage themselves from possible criminal and self-destructive behaviour, then there are a number of initiatives that can be taken to ensure government's participation in the process of alleviating the tough burden of the housing crisis.

We are fully aware that the previous and the present government have and are making some progress through the government agency, the Bermuda Housing Corporation and through the Ministry of Health and Family Services. Our contention is that, with all that is being done, progress continues to be woefully inadequate and painfully slow. The housing war must be fought on many fronts. The government has the power to help to provide the weapons that are required to win this war.

There are a number of empty apartments in Bermuda that are kept off the rental market by disillusioned and frustrated owners. Many have had bad and costly experiences with tenants and now refuse to rent their apartments because they feel that, under current laws and practices, the rights of tenants outweigh those of landlords. There are possible solutions to this dilemma.

Government can mandate the setting up of a special court that would sit around the third week in each month to hear only cases of nonpayment of rent for a minimum of two months and/or destruction of rental property. Our view is that tenants who are found guilty should be given to the end of that current month to vacate the premises. The authority could be given to the Landlord to have them evicted if they have not left by the specified date. In addition, land tax holidays, for a specified time, could be offered as an added incentive to Landlords whose properties have not been rented for a determined number of years and who agree to put their properties back on the rental market.

Government can commit to work with private organisations and individuals who present detailed building, renovation or remodelling plans for homes that target low-income families and individuals as tenants. The government assistance could be in the form of leased land, duty relief on building supplies and special land tax rates.

In a country as small as Bermuda, it is sometimes hard to imagine how we find ourselves in this predicament. It is discouraging when we read and hear about the desperate situations in which some of our fellow Bermudians find themselves when it comes to housing. We reiterate the need for individuals, families, the community and the government to work together to find a resolution to this pressing need. The question is, will we do it? Charles Jeffers