Recently, the Isle of Man Tynwald spent thousands of pounds to spend a bunch of politicians on a junket to Guernsey to learn about their housing crisis.

To me, it is mad to send politicians to learn about how to address the housing crisis in a place where the housing crisis is much worse than ours. It’s like sending firefighters to learn from a bunch of arsonists to learn how to fight fires – “Just do the opposite of them” is about the best you can do.

One much cheaper option would be to ask ChatGPT, the new chat language model provided by openai.com. It provided some decent ideas! Of course, this isn’t actual intelligence, but rather, a language model which uses word association to form sentences and to appear to provide cogent thought.

In many respects, it offers a greater simulation of intelligence than some legacy politicians.

ChatGPT on fixing the Manx Housing Crisis

How can we fix the housing crisis in the Isle of Man?

There are several potential solutions to the housing crisis on the Isle of Man:

  1. Increase the availability of affordable housing: One potential solution is to increase the availability of affordable housing on the Isle of Man. This could be achieved by encouraging the construction of new affordable housing developments, or by converting existing buildings into affordable housing units.
  2. Increase the supply of housing: Another potential solution is to increase the overall supply of housing on the Isle of Man. This could be achieved by implementing policies that encourage the construction of new homes and apartments, such as tax incentives for developers and relaxed zoning regulations.
  3. Increase access to financing: Access to financing is often a barrier to homeownership, especially for low-income households. To address this issue, the government could implement policies that increase access to affordable financing options, such as low-interest mortgages or down payment assistance programs.
  4. Address homelessness: The housing crisis on the Isle of Man is not just limited to a lack of affordable housing – it also includes a significant homeless population. To address this issue, the government could implement policies that support homeless individuals and families, such as providing access to emergency shelters and other housing assistance programs.
  5. Improve housing conditions: In addition to increasing the availability and supply of housing, it is also important to ensure that the existing housing stock on the Isle of Man is safe and well-maintained. The government could implement policies that encourage landlords to improve the condition of their properties, and provide support to homeowners who are unable to afford necessary repairs
ChatGPT – 6 December 2022

Michael Josem is a long-term consumer advocate, most prominently as a global leader in combating fraud in the online gambling industry. He was in part the inspiration for the 20th Century Fox Movie, Runner Runner, starring Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake.

Josem has over a decade of experience as a senior business leader working across various high-tech and online industries, and takes action to build a better community. His primary volunteer roles include service for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and Graih, the homelessness charity.