I have long been concerned about the use of the word “affordable” in relation to housing but never more so than in last week’s BD.

We need a definition and my suggestion would be “housing provided for sale or for rent at lower than the market price”. In other words — subsidised housing.

It is the reluctance to use the “S” word which leads to the mangling of grammar and meaning, as in Hari Phillips’ argument (Debate March 8).

But there is also a more serious point. If only we could bring ourselves to use the word, it might focus attention on where the subsidy is going to come from.

Ann Petherick
York

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