The government deserves praise for flagging up the issue of housing benefit.

ECONOMIST: Welfare reform

The basic shape of the issue is that with housing in limited supply, those with less money will tend to be pushed out by those with more money.

FORBES: Quality of Life in America

But Mr Oxley thinks the volume of new housing is only one factor affecting the real issue, which is affordability, or rather the lack of it.

ECONOMIST: Houses and prices

"The 'housing crisis' is increasingly an issue of how our housing stock is shared between younger and older generations, " said IF co-founder Angus Hanton.

BBC: Charity calls for help freeing up family homes

The price of housing is another political issue, reflecting the pressure of rising numbers of people in the state capitals, where migrants make up about a third of the population.

ECONOMIST: So long as it doesn��t cost too much

The Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development has lobbied city officials on the issue and produced a series of reports warning of the dangers of losing cheap apartments, laying out the benefits of permanently affordable housing.

WSJ: City Grant Aids Christine Quinn Housing Plan

Mr Glanville said there have been a few examples of churches selling or leasing their buildings and land for housing in the past but now the issue would become "more of a focus".

BBC: Churches in Wales may become affordable homes

The high cost of housing has become a political issue.

ECONOMIST: Housing

He said that he plans to meet with housing officials later in the summer to discuss the problem and find ways of helping tackle the issue.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Wales | South East Wales | Youth mayor to help homeless

For the many millions of poorer Chinese, including the many migrants from the countryside, the housing crunch presents a more serious issue.

FORBES: Asia's New Landless Peasants?