Some 6,000 signatures have so far been added to an online petition calling on the Welsh Parliament to “address” the issue of second homes.
A website called Siartercartrefi is urging people to sign the petition and to send template letters to Welsh politicians. The website contains few details of the people behind the campaign, who claim their eight point manifesto is a charter which “addresses a fundamental issue of modern times – housing justice.”
It claims that 67,000 are on social housing lists in Wales, and that 38 per cent of the homes sold in the county of Gwynedd in 2019-20 were purchased as second homes.
The petition appears on the Welsh Parliament website and if it secures 10,000 signatures it will be considered for a debate by politicians.
The petition reads:
Local people are being priced out of their own communities. This is destroying our culture and language. Simply building more houses is not enough.
We call for a fundamental rethink of policy to prioritise the social, cultural and economic needs of the people of Wales in line with Cymraeg 2050 and the Well-being of Future Generations Act.
Give people a say on solving our housing crisis: implement the eight demands of the Housing Justice Charter and set up a Citizens Assembly to drive change.
Covid has shown the need for decisive Welsh Government action to deal with a major crisis. Urgent action is needed now to address our housing crisis, before local cultures and language are lost and an out of control housing market destroys urban and rural Welsh communities.
The Housing Justice Charter group is a non-party political collaboration from across Wales. We researched all the issues and solutions proposed by others and summed them up in eight achievable and positive areas for action.
Implement the Charter’s demands; use a Citizens Assembly to drive the change:
1. Declare a housing emergency in Wales
2 Create a bill to address housing inequality.
3. Protect our communities; rural and urban.
4. Protect Welsh Language and culture.
5. Reform social housing provision.
6 Urgently address the pressing issue of second home ownership.
7. Reform planning laws to respond to local housing needs.
8. Create a citizens assembly on housing.
