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Guest blogger Derek Long, president of the National Housing Federation in the north of England, calls for regional warning

is an iconic image. But a scary time.

Past the point of no return, the crest of Hokusai big wave

turns and turns inexorably down. Our eyes caught by the wave take advice, overlooking the canal, where the next moment, thirty fishermen Kanagawa will be fighting for his life.

It is Tuesday morning and I am a net to throw the British Museum, which houses famous Hokusai print. As head of the Federation of Northern National Housing, I'm on a fixed day in the South Hermosa, on behalf of associations 240 non-profit housing to house more than 840,000 people in the North. Browse released copies of three reports Home truths North fixing the housing market broke, I'm suddenly struck by the feeling of the two great waves of housing problems began to break the north.

Last year, Britain was able to build fewer new homes for 90 years. The size of the gap between supply and demand for housing is immense. In the Northwest, only 43% of the expected number of units required have been completed. In the north, a commendable 54% of the front doors first opened, but in Yorkshire and Humberside, the region built or renovated only a third of housing needed to keep pace with household growth.

After years of not applying the laws of supply and demand are relentless. Over the next five years, Oxford Economics expects a sharp rise in house prices in the north, reaching 12% in Yorkshire and Humberside, but with further increase in private rents by 14% in the north to 19% in North West and Yorkshire and Humberside. Blocked with families on this

The bill faces of people of working age "under occupation" of social housing with the Hobson's choice of moving to a smaller home or taking a small reduction in their benefits. The tax "room" is the hardest of the North, with up to 46% of social housing properties north classified as under-occupied. With enough small properties available, it could net the Treasury up to £ 75 million of tenants Northwest can not continue as the stories of tenants before confirming the reduction -. 13% for one bedroom, 25% more - comes of age, disabled and most divorced.

eliminating the possibility of paying the direct benefits for the owner is so unpopular. In general, the group believes that the reform of welfare will be the collection and payment of rent more difficult, lead to more delays. And because housing associations add funds to government grants, more delays mean less revenue, which means fewer new affordable housing. Waves reinforce each other.

not be. There are solutions that do not break the bank and could help the economy. But it must be taken now. A credible national, committed to building affordable housing in the North set the tone scale. The release of public land at a reasonable cost for Social Development may reduce the pressure on first time buyers. And to finish the renovation of the property market could boost the city's economy and its competitiveness in the future, while in reality as opposed to brownfield sites and empty properties.

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