THE QUESTION
Why is housing unaffordable here?
The causes, deepest first. Disagreements stay on the map.
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This room’s map
What this room certified, on its own — the numbers below count these. Left to right: deepest causes first; outlined green boxes are the roots. Only direct links are drawn — a link implied by a path is on the record, not in the picture. Dashed red is contested. Hover for full text.
How this dialogue measures
why
The indicators the method's own practitioners use to judge a dialogue's quality (Laouris & Metcalf 2024, Table 7), computed from this record so it can be compared with the hundreds of face-to-face and virtual dialogues behind their baselines. Spreadthink is the share of ideas that got at least one vote: 100% means everyone voted only for their own, and it usually settles to 25–45% once meaning has been shared. Situational complexity falls as more ideas are structured.
ideas (N)
41 usual: 50–100
41 usual: 50–100
with 1+ vote / 2+ votes
26 / 19
26 / 19
spreadthink
58.3% usual: 25–55
58.3% usual: 25–55
demosensus
41.7%
41.7%
clusters (dimensions)
4
4
cards in a cluster
19.5%
19.5%
structured / levels / links
20 / 7 / 21
20 / 7 / 21
situational complexity
1.1
1.1
minds moved
—
—
cards hidden by the steward
0
0
pairs contested
0
0
The merged map
Every room on this question is a walkthrough: this is a demonstration of the merge, not a finding.
Folded from 3 rooms on this question — 3 are walkthroughs, with stand-ins rather than people.
why
Every group built its own map from its own wall; these are folded into one. The same claim raised in two groups is one item, and each connection shows how many groups found it. Where groups found opposite things, that is published as a conflict.
Every room’s map folded into one. Dark, thick lines were certified by two or more rooms; grey dashed by one; dotted grey only by rooms that do not count; dashed red is a dispute. A green card with ×N is a claim N rooms raised on their own; the caption says so. Hover a link or a claim for the rooms behind it. — 1 link certified by two or more rooms · 1 contested · 59 links in all.
counted Why has housing become so ex · steward trusted by this instance
counted Why is housing unaffordable · steward trusted by this instance
counted Why can working people no lo · steward trusted by this instance
Dotted grey: a link certified only by rooms that do not count — shown, never a verdict. Hover a link for which rooms certified it and which said no; hover a claim for where it was raised and any evidence attached.
As a list — 59 links, graded by how many rooms found each; and 4 claims raised in more than one room
RAISED IN MORE THAN ONE ROOM
◆ Rents rise faster than wages every year 3 rooms
◆ Empty flats are worth more than let ones to some owners 3 rooms
◆ Nobody can afford to live where the work is 3 rooms
◆ Building anything takes years of permissions 3 rooms
EVERY LINK · solid and thicker: found by more rooms · dashed grey: one room
Empty flats are worth more than let ones to some owners → Rents rise faster than wages every year 2 rooms
A permission takes longer than the money is available for → The lender's rules decide the flat layout, not the family 1 room
A single objection can delay a scheme by two years → Building anything takes years of permissions 1 room
A single objection can delay a scheme by two years → Converting an office costs more than building new 1 room
A single objection can delay a scheme by two years → Politicians are elected by owners, not by renters 1 room
A small site is as expensive to permit as a large one → Two regulators disagree about the same wall 1 room
Being evicted once makes the next tenancy harder to get → Nobody will rent to you without three months up front 1 room
Bringing an old building back costs twice new build → Building anything takes years of permissions 1 room
Building anything takes years of permissions → A small site is as expensive to permit as a large one 1 room
Building anything takes years of permissions → The people worst affected are never in the room 1 room
Children change school every time the tenancy ends → Nobody has ever asked us what would fix it 1 room
Children change school every time the tenancy ends → Nobody in my building knows their neighbours 1 room
Councils cannot borrow to build at the scale needed → Nobody can afford to live where the work is 1 room
Empty flats are worth more than let ones to some owners → The last time this city built at scale it was after a war 1 room
Homelessness services are funded, prevention is not → Every year of delay is a year of someone's life 1 room
Landlords price on what the market will bear, not on cost → Converting an office costs more than building new 1 room
Landlords price on what the market will bear, not on cost → Rents rise faster than wages every year 1 room
Nobody builds for people who do not have a deposit → Quality is what you get when someone stays for the whole job 1 room
Nobody builds for people who do not have a deposit → Every consultee has a veto and none has a deadline 1 room
Nobody enforces the standards that already exist → You are asked for a guarantor who owns property 1 room
Nobody enforces the standards that already exist → The flat is cold because the landlord pays no heating bill 1 room
Nobody in the council can read a build programme → Empty flats are worth more than let ones to some owners 1 room
Nobody insures a small builder for a tall building → We cannot compete for land against a firm that can wait 1 room
Nobody insures a small builder for a tall building → Rents rise faster than wages every year 1 room
Nobody knows what the flat next door pays → Rents are set by what the last desperate person agreed to 1 room
Nobody knows what the flat next door pays → Building anything takes years of permissions 1 room
Offices sit empty while flats are unaffordable → Empty flats are worth more than let ones to some owners 1 room
Politicians are elected by owners, not by renters → Converting an office costs more than building new 1 room
Politicians are elected by owners, not by renters → Every year of delay is a year of someone's life 1 room
Renters move too often to vote here → Politicians are elected by owners, not by renters 1 room
Rents are set by what the last desperate person agreed to → Rents rise faster than wages every year 1 room
Rents are set by what the last desperate person agreed to → Empty flats are worth more than let ones to some owners 1 room
Rents rise faster than wages every year → Nobody can afford to live where the work is 1 room
Rents rise faster than wages every year → Renters move too often to vote here 1 room
Rents rise faster than wages every year → We are the majority here and have no seat anywhere 1 room
Rents rise faster than wages every year → Every year of delay is a year of someone's life 1 room
Rents rise faster than wages every year → The people who decide have never been served a notice 1 room
Reporting a landlord takes a year and you have moved by then → Empty flats are worth more than let ones to some owners 1 room
Reporting a landlord takes a year and you have moved by then → Rents rise faster than wages every year 1 room
The affordable quota is negotiated away after approval → Nobody can afford to live where the work is 1 room
The archaeology survey took nine months and found nothing → We cannot compete for land against a firm that can wait 1 room
The archaeology survey took nine months and found nothing → A permission takes longer than the money is available for 1 room
The bank wants pre-sales before it lends → We cannot compete for land against a firm that can wait 1 room
The bank wants pre-sales before it lends → Nobody insures a small builder for a tall building 1 room
The city has no number for how many homes it needs → Offices sit empty while flats are unaffordable 1 room
The flat is cold because the landlord pays no heating bill → Nobody in my building knows their neighbours 1 room
The land price already assumes the permission → Building anything takes years of permissions 1 room
The last time this city built at scale it was after a war → The city has no number for how many homes it needs 1 room
The owner is a company in another country → You are asked for a guarantor who owns property 1 room
The owner is a company in another country → There is no register of who owns what 1 room
The owner is a company in another country → Nobody enforces the standards that already exist 1 room
The people worst affected are never in the room → Politicians are elected by owners, not by renters 1 room
The people worst affected are never in the room → Rents rise faster than wages every year 1 room
The viability assessment is written by the developer → The affordable quota is negotiated away after approval 1 room
There is no trade left that can do lime plaster → Bringing an old building back costs twice new build 1 room
Two regulators disagree about the same wall → There is no trade left that can do lime plaster 1 room
Two regulators disagree about the same wall → A small site is as expensive to permit as a large one 1 room
We cannot compete for land against a firm that can wait → Rents rise faster than wages every year 1 room
We cannot compete for land against a firm that can wait → Nobody can afford to live where the work is 1 room
Connections several groups found (1 of 59)
| Empty flats are worth more than let ones to some owners | → | Rents rise faster than wages every year | 2 groups |
Rooms disagree (1)
Judged in opposite directions by different rooms, with no side reaching 75% of the rooms that judged it. It stays on the record and has been referred onward to further rooms.
⚑ Building anything takes years of permissions → Rents rise faster than wages every year 1 room yes · 1 no