Interim findings of a government housing review have been presented to the island’s housing authorities and to members of the Council of Ministers.
The review, which was launched by the Department of Social Care and covers both public sector and private rented housing, presented initial findings last year and has since been focusing on key areas including housing needs, affordable housing and old people’s housing.
Social Care Minister Chris Robertshaw said: ‘We are having a public debate about housing in the island and this will lead to a set of proposals being put to Tynwald in the autumn.’
Mr Robertshaw said he hoped to streamline provision by reducing the number of housing authorities around the island - currently 17.
He also said their inquiries suggested significant savings could be made in the area of housing maintenance where services across the island were not consistent and systems and procedures were not standard.
The review has suggested as much as half of the demand is for one quarter of the available housing stock because the range of properties did not match what was required and a minimum of 200 extra public or private sector rented homes would be needed in the next 10 years.
Provision of more affordable housing using shared equity schemes and rent to buy schemes is also to be investigated.