What I've learned about housing … and swans

This is my last Housing Today column, so I had thought I'd write something about this being my swansong. The trouble is, no sooner had the expression come into my head than I needed to know its origins.

It seems the ancient Greeks believed a swan sings a beautiful song just before it dies. Sadly, in reality, like most of us a swan just keels over at the end without so much as a whistle. What a sad misconception.

In the course of writing this column, I've discovered that there are also many misconceptions with regard to housing, homelessness and the work of social landlords. Before the last general election, I phoned up Number 10 and said I was thinking of standing for prime minister, but I didn't want to commit myself until I had seen the house. They declined the chance for me to have a look round, which is, of course, the main reason why I am not in charge today. The question was not whether the house would do, but whether it could be a home. Giving someone a roof over their head so they can simply survive is not enough.

If you look up the word "house" on the internet, you get a wide range of sites. There is the White House, the Houses of Parliament, Sydney Opera House, the house where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis and the House Rabbit Society, which is some volunteer outfit that rescues abandoned rabbits. All of these are have their place, but you wouldn't really want to live in any of them, would you?

What is harder to find is any guidance that tells you how to create the warmth and comfort that makes a home. If there is one thing the plethora of makeover programmes on television have taught us (and, God knows, it isn't much), it is that human beings never tire of wanting to express their individuality. They have always thrived on beauty and beautiful notions. We want the swan to sing at the end, but we don't want to know how hard he is paddling to keep his sleek white figure afloat.

Long-term planning and a bit of foresight is needed but I am not downhearted. I have met wonderful, passionate and committed people working in housing

You cannot house everyone in the same box with the same facilities and expect housing supply problems to be solved. Communities need to be formed. A sense of belonging has to be generated: we need to remember that the homeless are not just those people stuck under the arches near railway stations. "Sofa surfing" and hidden homelessness is growing, but the government doesn't want to spread the bad news around. I suppose the official theory is that if people aren't actually clogging up the streets then they are no longer a problem.

I have been lucky enough to attend a couple of housing association events and a conference on general housing issues.

What impressed me most was the sector's passionate desire to treat all people in need of assistance as "clients", as individuals with different needs and desires that need to be addressed. It's sad that this attitude is not shared by those with political power. Antagonism is the name of the game. Much is made of providing CCTV and more police, when really what may be needed is a youth club or leisure facilities. A chance to make an area work and look better, so that residents can take pride in their surroundings, might be more effective than strong-arm tactics.

I have been impressed by the desire within the housing community to treat everyone as an individual. Perhaps government boffins spend too long looking at spreadsheets and not enough time out in the towns and cities, meeting the people behind the figures. I believe selling off council houses was a horrible mistake. Local authorities lost touch with housing needs: now we have a situation where essential workers cannot find affordable housing in the areas where they work.