Housing shortages in big cities can have severe consequences . Title:Housing shortages in big cities can have severe consequences .only government action can solve the problem. to what extent do you agree or disagree? Article: Housing shortage is one of the most significant problem observed in metropolis, over the decade.As the trend continues to grow,it has sparked public interest in how can we solve the problem.As housing is a basic need,government should step in to protect consumer rights and make sure the markets are fair.That is not to say that individuals have no say in the matter. As many city dwellers regard housing investment as an effective way to get rich,they borrow more money than they should to purchase real estate. let us consider the current financial crisis in America .This is partly caused by a real estate bubble. Also consider that there are many people with low and medium incomes,they can not buy such expensive real estate.Clearly government should step in and set reasonable limits on prices so that not only the super rich can afford to live in cites. Besides, local authorities in small cities should put funds in public services,including education and healthcare,so that citizens in small cities would prefer to stay in their hometown rather than live in big cities. For individuals ,especially youngster,investing in estate is not the only way to accumulate wealth.Compared with purchasing houses at a great expense,an investment in job skills training can have huge rewards in the long run . To summarise ,government and individuals play important roles in improving real estate market（改善房地产市场).Housing should be a basic human right,like water and food,but if we does not act soon,it will be a privilege only for the rich.