Housing is a hot topic. House prices have spiralled both in Britain and across the Western world, alienating millions of people from the property market. At the same time, social housing has disintegrated, as properties have been sold off or neglected. Efforts to fill the gap through ‘affordable housing’ – shared ownership or housing associations – are barely adequate. With the collapse of the subprime mortgage market in the US and the collapse of Northern Rock at home, what does the future hold?This book is a radical overview of the housing crisis, and the root causes of the current turmoil. The authors show how privatisation and commodification has encroached into all areas of our lives, and most especially into housing, with disasterous results.Taking an international perspective, the book covers the housing sectors in many Western countries, particularly the UK and the US. It examines the campaigns to defend social housing and the possibilities for reform.