TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

Supplementary Reading / U7/ W12

Lead-in
 Do a brief research on the concept of “social housing”. What does it mean?
 Look at the photos of social housing in England. Would you like to live in a place like these? What
could be the advantages? What could be the disadvantages? Discuss with your partner.
 Compare them with the social housing in your country. Are they similar or different?

BEFORE YOU READ

Guess the meaning of the following words from the text and match them with the given definitions .
1. __real restate (n): a) dirty or unhygienic
2. __originate (v): b) famous in a bad way
3. __accommodation (n): c) old fashioned and not modern
4. __outdated (adj): d) places to stay
5. __density (n): e) property in the form of buildings or land
6. __notorious (adj): f) a very poor and crowded area of a city
7. __slum (n): g) to come from, or start at a particular place, time or situation
8. __unsanitary (adj): h) the number of people or things in a place when compared to its size
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

WHILE READING
Read the following text and answer the questions below.

Social Housing
A. Rising real estate prices across the world have pushed many people out of the market, with
disadvantaged or low-income individuals and families struggling to afford the ever-rising rents. Social
housing is designed to address this issue after it originated in London at the beginning of the 20th century
and applied across the world today. But social housing is not without its challenges and a look at its history
in different countries, together with what has worked (and what hasn’t) offers an understanding into this
complex issue. What is social housing? Social housing is basically affordable rental housing, specifically
designed for those on low incomes. It may be provided by local government authorities or private housing
associations, helping to assist those who cannot access accommodation in the private rental market. In
many countries it serves as a solution for the inequalities of housing, particularly in places where real estate
prices are rising rapidly.

The pros and cons of social housing

B. Social housing is built on the idea of helping disadvantaged people find homes (which is undoubtedly a
positive thing), with low-income families, those with disabilities and sometimes the elderly benefiting. It
gives those who might otherwise end up in unsafe buildings access to low-cost housing that meets building
requirements and safety standards while making economical use of land and urban resources.

C. Most social housing is run by an authority that handles repairs or concerns which residents may have
and acts as a landlord would in private rental situations. But funding for social housing remains a serious
issue, with a lack of money to deal with repairs resulting in rundown or outdated rentals. This also leads to
lack of staff or workers to deal with resident concerns and the necessary maintenance requirements.

D. The lower rents associated with social housing help to increase the income of its residents, but also
waste community resources. Often the cost of supporting social housing is higher than the taxes that its
residents pay and this creates tension in the community. Social housing is often subject to high crime rates,
particularly those that are isolated from the surrounding communities. Lack of access to community
facilities or other neighborhoods often leads to an increase in negative influences and a high concentration
of drug use and violence. There is also often a lack of privacy due to the high density of social housing.
Moreover, health conditions and educational performance are negatively influenced.

The history of social housing

E. Social housing has its roots in the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. It was initially philanthropists
who provided affordable housing in apartment blocks, with some factory owners following the example by
building entire villages for their workers. The Victorian village of Saltaire in England’s West Yorkshire is one
such example, built to house the workers of a textile mill and now a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site.
After a Royal Commission report, the English Government began to take an interest, which led to the
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

Housing of the Working Classes Act of 1885. This gave local governments the ability to close down
unhealthy housing or communities and encouraged them to improve the conditions within their areas and
build suitable alternatives.

F. The world’s first large-scale social housing project was built in London to replace the notorious Old
Nichol slum where child mortality rates were shockingly high. Known as the Boundary Estate, the London
County Council completed it in 1900 and its success encouraged other local councils to follow their
example. The outbreak of First World War urged the authorities further, with the poor physical health of
soldiers coming from urban areas leading to the “Homes Fit for Heroes” campaign. While social housing
projects such as this were tested in other European countries and the United States during the 1930s, it
wasn’t until after the Second World War that they became widespread.

Social housing in United States

G. The first social housing project in the United States was New York City’s “First Houses” which was part
of an attempt to clear slums across the country. For every unit of public housing that was constructed, a
unit of private housing was to be demolished, targeting unsanitary neighborhoods, which were a source of
disease, and removing the sub-standard housing of minority communities.

H. One of the United States’ most unique social housing projects was the “Mutual Ownership Defense
Housing Division” that operated as part of the Federal Works Agency between 1940 and 1942. It was
designed to address the housing needs of defense workers and middle-class Americans using the
cooperative ownership concept. The uncertain duration of defense workers’ employment and lack of
savings made it difficult for them to get mortgages and the project model was hoped to lead to a housing
solution for other Americans.

I. But competing resource needs during World War II and the interest rates of real estate companies
resulted in the project’s short-lived existence. Only eight housing projects ended up being built. However,
only one of them was eventually purchased from the government by their residents and still continues to
operate today as mutual housing corporations. In the United States, social housing has generally been built
as part of the renewal of older communities, with rents modified on the basis of income. Many now allow for
tenants of mixed income levels, with both assisted and market-based renters living side-by-side. But
violence and drug use is still a challenge, with the 1996 federal “one mistake you’re out” law enabling for
the eviction of tenants arrested for crimes.

Looking outside of the social housing box

J. By addressing the challenges and success stories of social housing around the world, it’s clearly
apparent that it is no easy task. Providing the housing itself is just one step in the process of creating
healthy communities and a positive outlook for the future of low-income families. As governments, private
organizations and socially engaged architects continue to address the issue from different viewpoints,
some of the most exciting and successful ideas for social housing will continue to appear.
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

1. What is TRUE about social housing according to paragraph A?

A. It has become more popular in London in the 20th century.
B. People with ever-rising income are the people to benefit from it.
C. This is a solution that has always sorted out the housing problems.
D. It is a practice that has been adopted by many countries today.

2. In paragraph B, the writer does NOT list _____________ as a candidate for social housing.
A. old people
B. people with low income
C. people with a physical impairment
D. people with young children

3. Why is there a need for an authority in social housings according to Paragraph C?

A. To deal with the possible problems that the residents might have.
B. To collect rent from people who are usually unwilling to pay for it.
C. To design buildings with high safety standards and requirements.
D. To address the concerns that may come up during the construction.

4. Which of the following problems is NOT mentioned about social housing in paragraph D?
A. It may create a disturbance among the members of the same community.
B. It might put an additional burden on available resources for the local community.
C. There might be a lack of transportation facilities in the surrounding communities.
D. There might be higher risk of dealing with illegal activities in the community.

5. What does ‘philanthropist’ mean in paragraph E?

A. A strong government
B. A profitable factory
C. A charitable person
D. A powerful community

6. According to paragraph E, what can be inferred about the Working Classes Act of 1885?
A. It shows that the government started to care about living conditions of citizens.
B. The English Government modeled it from the American social projects.
C. UNESCO made it possible for the government to develop such a law.
D. It made the low-income families to apply for mortgages from banks to buy houses.

7. According to paragraph F, what was the positive impact of World War I on social housing in
England?

_____________________________________________________________________________.

8. According to paragraph G, the government demolished houses in New York because they
wanted to ___________________________________________________________________.
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

9. According to paragraph H, which of the following is NOT a reason why American defense
workers couldn’t buy houses?
A. They didn’t have enough financial resources.
B. They didn’t get enough help from the middle-class.
C. They didn’t have permanent jobs.
D. They couldn’t get money from the banks.

10. According to paragraph I, which of the following is FALSE about the social housing projects in the
USA?
A. After it was first introduced, only a few were built.
B. Only one of the first projects still operates today.
C. The main focus has been rebuilding older parts of cities.
D. Everybody pays the same amount of rent in the projects today.

11. What is the writer’s attitude towards the future of social housing?
A. pessimistic
B. humorous
C. hopeful
D. critical

AFTER YOU READ

Discuss the following questions with a partner and share opinions with the whole class.
1. Should the governments provide houses for the poor? Why (not)?
2. Should people pay more taxes to build homes for the poor? Why (not)?
3. Should houses for the poor have good design? Why (not)?
4. Should poor people live in these houses indefinitely? Why (not)?
5. Are the communities built for the poor likely to have higher crime rates? Why (not)?

Check what have you learned;

Take a look at the objectives below and put a tick if you think you are able to do it.

Objective GS Skill
E
Can identify key information in an extended text or article. 57 Reading
Can infer meaning in a simple academic text, in order to answer specific 54 Reading
questions.
Can understand the author’s purpose and intended audience. 62 Reading
Can guess the meaning of an unfamiliar word from context in an 65 Reading
academic text.
Can recognize the use of a range of pronouns and adverbials for 42 Grammar
anaphoric (back) reference. 
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

Can recognize writer’s feelings or attitudes. 50 Reading

Ts’ Copy
Note to the teacher: This material has been designed to improve ss’s reading skills.

Answer Key
BEFORE YOU READ

Guess the meaning of the following words from the text and match them with the given definitions .

1. e_real restate (n): a) dirty or unhygienic

2. g_originate (v):
3. a_accommodation (n):
4. a_outdated (adj):
5. a_density (n):
6. b_notorious (adj):
7. f_slum (n):
8. a_unsanitary (adj):
b) famous in a bad way
c) old fashioned and not modern
d) places to stay
e) property in the form of buildings or land
f) a very poor and crowded area of a city
g) to come from a particular place, time or situation
h) the number of people or things in a place when compared to its size

READ
Read the following text and answer the questions below.

Social Housing
A. Rising real estate prices across the world have pushed many people out of the market, with
disadvantaged or low-income individuals and families struggling to afford the ever-rising rents. Social
housing is designed to address this issue after it originated in London at the beginning of the 20th century
and applied across the world today. But social housing is not without its challenges and a look at its history
in different countries, together with what has worked (and what hasn’t) offers an understanding into this
complex issue. What is social housing? Social housing is basically affordable rental housing, specifically
designed for those on low incomes. It may be provided by local government authorities or private housing
associations, helping to assist those who cannot access accommodation in the private rental market. In
many countries it serves as a solution for the inequalities of housing, particularly in places where real estate
prices are rising rapidly.

The pros and cons of social housing

B. Social housing is built on the idea of helping disadvantaged people find homes (which is undoubtedly a
positive thing), with low-income families, those with disabilities and sometimes the elderly benefiting. It
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

gives those who might otherwise end up in unsafe buildings access to low-cost housing that meets building
requirements and safety standards while making economical use of land and urban resources.

C. Most social housing is run by an authority handling repairs or concerns that residents may have and
acting as a landlord would in private rental situations. But funding for social housing remains a serious
issue, with a lack of money to deal with repairs resulting in rundown or outdated rentals. This also leads to
lack of staff or workers to deal with resident concerns and the necessary maintenance requirements.

D. The lower rents associated with social housing help to increase the income of its residents, but also
waste community resources. Often the cost of supporting social housing is higher than the taxes that its
residents pay and this creates tension in the community. Social housing is often subject to high crime rates,
particularly those that are isolated from the surrounding communities. Lack of access to community
facilities or other neighborhoods often leads to an increase in negative influences and a high concentration
of drug use and violence. There is also often a lack of privacy due to the high density of social housing.
Moreover, health conditions and educational performance are negatively influenced.

The history of social housing

E. Social housing has its roots in the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century. It was initially philanthropists
who provided affordable housing in apartment blocks, with some factory owners following the example by
building entire villages for their workers. The Victorian village of Saltaire in England’s West Yorkshire is one
such example, built to house the workers of a textile mill and now a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site.
After a Royal Commission report, the English Government began to take an interest, which led to the
Housing of the Working Classes Act of 1885. This gave local governments the ability to close down
unhealthy housing or communities and encouraged them to improve the conditions within their areas and
build suitable alternatives.

F. The world’s first large-scale social housing project was built in London to replace the notorious Old
Nichol slum where child mortality rates were shockingly high. Known as the Boundary Estate, the London
County Council completed it in 1900 and its success encouraged other local councils to follow their
example. The outbreak of First World War urged the authorities further, with the poor physical health of
soldiers coming from urban areas leading to the “Homes Fit for Heroes” campaign. While social housing
projects such as this were tested in other European countries and the United States during the 1930s, it
wasn’t until after the Second World War that they became widespread.

Social housing in United States

G. The first social housing project in the United States was New York City’s “First Houses” which was part
of an attempt to clear slums across the country. For every unit of public housing that was constructed, a
unit of private housing was to be demolished, targeting unsanitary neighborhoods, which were a source of
disease, and removing the sub-standard housing of minority communities.
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

H. One of the United States’ most unique social housing projects was the “Mutual Ownership Defense
Housing Division” that operated as part of the Federal Works Agency between 1940 and 1942. It was
designed to address the housing needs of defense workers and middle-class Americans using the
cooperative ownership concept. The uncertain duration of defense workers’ employment and lack of
savings made it difficult for them to get mortgages and the project model was hoped to lead to a housing
solution for other Americans.

I. But competing resource needs during World War II and the interest rates of real estate companies
resulted in the project’s short-lived existence. Only eight housing projects ended up being built. However,
only one of them was eventually purchased from the government by their residents and still continues to
operate today as mutual housing corporations. In the United States, social housing has generally been built
as part of the renewal of older communities, with rents modified on the basis of income. Many now allow for
tenants of mixed income levels, with both assisted and market-based renters living side-by-side. But
violence and drug use is still a challenge, with the 1996 federal “one mistake you’re out” law enabling for
the eviction of tenants arrested for crimes.

Looking outside of the social housing box

J. By addressing the challenges and success stories of social housing around the world, it’s clearly
apparent that it is no easy task. Providing the housing itself is just one step in the process of creating
healthy communities and a positive outlook for the future of low-income families. As governments, private
organizations and socially engaged architects continue to address the issue from different viewpoints,
some of the most exciting and successful ideas for social housing will continue to appear.

1. What is TRUE about social housing according to paragraph A?

A. It has become more popular in London in the 20th century.
B. People with ever-rising income are the people to benefit from it.
C. This is a solution that has always sorted out the housing problems.
D. It is a practice that has been adopted by many countries today.

2. In paragraph B, the writer does NOT list _____________ as a candidate for social housing.
A. old people
B. people with low income
C. people with a physical impairment
D. people with young children

3. Why is there a need for an authority in social housings according to Paragraph D?

A. To deal with the possible problems that the residents might have.
B. To collect rent from people who are usually unwilling to pay for it.
C. To design buildings with high safety standards and requirements.
D. To address the concerns that may come up during the construction.

4. Which of the following problems is NOT mentioned about social housing in paragraph E?
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

A. It may create a disturbance among the members of the same community.

B. It might put an additional burden on available resources for the local community.
C. There might be a lack of transportation facilities in the surrounding communities.
D. There might be higher risk of dealing with illegal activities in the community.

5. What does ‘philanthropist’ mean in paragraph F?

A. A strong government
B. A profitable factory
C. A charitable person
D. A powerful community
6. According to paragraph E, what can be inferred about the Working Classes Act of 1885?
A. It shows that the government started to care about living conditions of citizens.
B. The English Government modeled it from the American social projects.
C. UNESCO made it possible for the government to develop such a law.
D. It made the low-income families to apply for mortgages from banks to buy houses.

7. According to paragraph F, what was the positive impact of World War I on social housing in
England?

The outbreak of First World War urged the authorities further, with the poor physical health of soldiers
coming from urban areas leading to the “Homes Fit for Heroes” campaign.

8. According to paragraph G, the government demolished houses in New York because they
wanted to target unsanitary neighborhoods, which were a source of disease, and removing
the sub-standard housing of minority communities.

9. According to paragraph H, which of the following is NOT a reason why American defense
workers couldn’t buy houses?
A. They didn’t have enough financial resources.
B. They didn’t get enough help from the middle-class.
C. They didn’t have permanent jobs.
D. They couldn’t get money from the banks.

10. According to paragraph I, which of the following is FALSE about the social housing projects in the
USA?
A. After it was first introduced, only a few were built.
B. Only one of the first projects still operates today.
C. The main focus has been rebuilding older parts of cities.
D. Everybody pays the same amount of rent in the projects today.

11. What is the writer’s attitude towards the future of social housing?
A. pessimistic
 TEDU ELS 2019-2020 Spring Term / Supplementary Reading / B LEVEL

B. humorous
C. hopeful
D. critical