For many people, 100% of the available properties in that estate agent's window are too expensive, not just the 12 bedroom places. These people will probably never be able to buy anywhere useful, and they are not renting the places in the window either. They rely on a less formally advertised market of lower price rentals.
Then there are the people for whom a maxed out mortgage would only just cover the bottom rung prices if they could get such a mortgage, but they can't so they have to rent, perversely at a monthly price higher than the mortgage would be. They don't gain equity for their payments, which harms their financial and housing security later in life, and limits their access to other credit. They don't know what they will do at retirement when they can no longer afford the rent, which is currently 50% of their income.
Then there are a few people who can afford the not-bottom prices. These people mostly already have a home, and are a minority.
For the first two groups, renting is their only option, and renting in some countries sucks for many reasons. Insecurity, no location stability (random evictions are common and new options limited), no equity, regular home inspections, often not even allowed to decorate, no home improvements (solar, windows, kitchen etc).
Treat it as "have (access to)", because that's obviously what was meant.
I think it's not really about not enough money, because if everyone at the bottom had more money, prices at the bottom would increase to compensate, ensuring it stays just out of reach for many, and just at the edge of achievable for others.
I'm not against injections of money, I think it's a good idea. But I don't expect it would solve the housing affordability problem, unfortunately.
For many people, 100% of the available properties in that estate agent's window are too expensive, not just the 12 bedroom places. These people will probably never be able to buy anywhere useful, and they are not renting the places in the window either. They rely on a less formally advertised market of lower price rentals.
Then there are the people for whom a maxed out mortgage would only just cover the bottom rung prices if they could get such a mortgage, but they can't so they have to rent, perversely at a monthly price higher than the mortgage would be. They don't gain equity for their payments, which harms their financial and housing security later in life, and limits their access to other credit. They don't know what they will do at retirement when they can no longer afford the rent, which is currently 50% of their income.
Then there are a few people who can afford the not-bottom prices. These people mostly already have a home, and are a minority.
For the first two groups, renting is their only option, and renting in some countries sucks for many reasons. Insecurity, no location stability (random evictions are common and new options limited), no equity, regular home inspections, often not even allowed to decorate, no home improvements (solar, windows, kitchen etc).