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Housing Shock: The Irish Housing Crisis and How to Solve It
The unprecedented housing and homelessness crisis in Ireland is having profound impacts on Generation Rent, the wellbeing of children, worsening wider inequality and threatening the economy. Hearne contextualises the Irish housing crisis within the broader global housing situation by examining the origins of the crisis in terms of austerity, marketisation and the new era of financialisation, where global investors are making housing unaffordable and turning it into an asset for the wealthy. He brings to the fore the perspectives of those most affected, new housing activists and protesters whilst providing innovative global solutions for a new vision for affordable, sustainable homes for all.
- GenresPolitics
302 pages, Hardcover
Published July 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 2, 2020
Essential reading!!
This book provides comprehensive but accessible analysis of the range policies and legislation that have resulted in the current housing crisis.
Furthermore, Hearne makes clear that a reconceptualisation of housing from a welfare to human rights based issue is necessary if we are to address the current housing crisis in Ireland and provides concrete actionable recommendations.
This book provides comprehensive but accessible analysis of the range policies and legislation that have resulted in the current housing crisis.
Furthermore, Hearne makes clear that a reconceptualisation of housing from a welfare to human rights based issue is necessary if we are to address the current housing crisis in Ireland and provides concrete actionable recommendations.
January 4, 2022
The first half of Housing Shock sets out that the housing situation in Ireland today is very bad and the second explains why, with the two parts tied together by a chapter Hearne’s experiences in precarious housing and academia/activism. There are some useful summaries, such as the impact of homelessness and inadequate housing in children and the history of NAMA/ REITS/ ISF, but overall it’s hard to come away saying what exactly Housing Shock is about. The final chapter sets out a potential model of public housing but there isn’t really time to tease out why there would be differences such as “affordable cost rental” (that could be purchased by tenants) and “affordable homes for purchase), and the public housing proposal comes after spending most of the book discussing home it’s a shame that young people can’t buy a home as they could have in the past. Also, the term “Generation aren’t” needs to be stopped.
February 14, 2021
A decent survey of the Irish housing crisis as understood in social policy circles. I would have killed for a book like this in 2017.
Shares a trait with much left-leaning non-fiction of being thorough and comprehensive in its account of a problem while also failing to fully contend with the challenges to implementing its proposed solutions. In emphasising our government's (very real) neoliberal ideological commitments, Hearne fails to grapple with the more materialistic problems of governmental dysfunction, mainstream Irish conservatism, and NIMBYist public sentiment.
Those familiar with the issues at hand will find this book eminently skimmable for the most part, but it's useful to have the ideas of so many disparate policy papers and reports compiled in one place.
Shares a trait with much left-leaning non-fiction of being thorough and comprehensive in its account of a problem while also failing to fully contend with the challenges to implementing its proposed solutions. In emphasising our government's (very real) neoliberal ideological commitments, Hearne fails to grapple with the more materialistic problems of governmental dysfunction, mainstream Irish conservatism, and NIMBYist public sentiment.
Those familiar with the issues at hand will find this book eminently skimmable for the most part, but it's useful to have the ideas of so many disparate policy papers and reports compiled in one place.
August 20, 2020
Really well researched and insightful. This is definitely more of an academic text than anything else, but was still written very in a very clear and accessible manner. Particularly enjoyed the chapters about the financialisation of housing and the tax and legal structures in Ireland interact with housing inequality.
December 11, 2024
Read as part of my social policy HDip in trinity college. Hearne gives a very comprehensive overview on the impact of austerity and the issues resulting in the current housing crisis. Really good data for referencing for my essay on the topic of housing in Ireland
March 16, 2021
Alternative approach to current Irish Housing problems
Clearly demonstrates how housing crisis in Ireland caused by policies of successive governments focusing on promoting a private market and speculative developer approach to housing provision.
Clearly demonstrates how housing crisis in Ireland caused by policies of successive governments focusing on promoting a private market and speculative developer approach to housing provision.
March 6, 2022
Excellent read. Brilliant analysis of housing policy in Ireland throughout the history of the state, with a closer inspection of recent decades.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews