Comparative Housing Policy

'This book makes a considerable contribution to the growing literature on comparative housing. It deals with how the governments of industrialised countries have become involved in the development of housing policy and practice and it goes beyond merely describing what governments have done by providing insights into how state action in the field of housing informs theoretical and policy debates.' - Local Government Studies 'At last, a text on comparative housing that I can recommend to students to actually read, and as a source of analytical ideas and themes...This book is a most welcome change...' - Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 'This is an excellent book that can be highly recommended for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in housing policy - and not merely for courses that have a comparative focus.' - Social Policy

This text introduces the reader to the comparative study of housing policy. It looks first at the benefits, limitations and difficulties of the comparative method, as well as the reasons behind governmental involvement in housing and particular policy choices.This text introduces the reader to the comparative study of housing policy. It looks first at the benefits, limitations and difficulties of the comparative method, as well as the reasons behind governmental involvement in housing and particular policy choices. It then identifies and discusses key themes of value to the analysis of a range of countries in the advanced capitalist world, offering an understanding of national differences and similarities and drawing on examples from, for instance, Europe, the USA, Australia and Japan.