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Access to housing is one of the most current debates, not only at the political level after the fall in Congress of the extension of rentsbut also on social networks. It is an issue that is of particular concern among young people who cannot buy a house and who in some cases argue that the problem lies in adapting the size of homes to each stage of life. In this context, the economist Gonzalo Bernardos has once again generated debate after responding to a user who proposed that older people leave their large homes to move to small 40 square meter apartments.
The comment came after a previous publication by the Professor of Economics at the University of Barcelona in which he defended that “the 40 m home is the first home, but not the definitive one.” According to Bernardos, the key is to enter the purchase market as soon as possible, since “once you have achieved it, with time and effort you can get a apartment that fits your wishes”.
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Following this reflection, a user suggested that older people whose children have already been emancipated should live in small apartments to free up family homes. He even went so far as to point out that “older people like Gonzalo Bernardos could live perfectly in those 40m2.”
Gonzalo Bernardos’ response about effort and housing
The economist’s response has been direct, Bernardos defends that many of these older people live in larger homes because they have obtained them after years of work and savings.
“Simply because those older people you are referring to have worked for many years, saved and made sacrifices,” the professor responded.
Furthermore, he adds that not all older people have large homes, differentiating between those who have been able to access better homes and those who have not.
“None of them have waited for the Administration to provide it to them”
The most forceful part of his response has come at the end of the message, where he criticizes those who hope that the solution to the housing problem will come exclusively from the public. “None of them have expected the Administration to provide it,” Bernardos stated.
The economist has been defending for some time that purchasing a home continues to be a tool to generate long-term wealth, especially compared to permanent renting. For this reason, in his original publication he insisted that a small apartment can be “the first home”, but not necessarily the definitive one.