More than 1,000 people gathered at a rally calling for more action on the housing crisis.
Pressure group Cymdeithas yr Iaith (Welsh Language Society) held an event in Aberystwyth on Saturday attended by around 1,200 people despite poor weather in the wake of Storm Eunice.
The group wanted to raise awareness of Welsh Government consultations on second home policies and housing plans for Welsh language communities. People can give their views until Tuesday.
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A spokesperson for the group pointed to Government commitments to cap the number of second and holiday homes, introduce a tax on tourism and consider rent controls.
"Cymdeithas yr Iaith recognizes that these plans address some of their concerns, but emphasizes the need for a Property Act that would provide a home for everyone and strengthen communities and the Welsh language in all parts of the country," they said.
The group called for a Property Act which would:
- Ensure vacant houses are brought into use before any new development
- Give local people priority when buying or renting housing
- Changing the definition of affordable housing and controlling rent prices so they are "affordable for people on local wages"
- Give "more robust and clear" instructions on conducting language impact assessments
- Devolve planning powers including housing targets
- Make language planning mandatory to ensure developments have a positive effect
- Provide "specific support" for young people to stay in their communities.
Its chair Mabli Siriol Jones said: "Following pressure from people from all over Wales, the Government launched two consultations, one on creating a new use class and the other on the Government's Welsh Language Communities Housing Plan. It is vital that people respond to the consultations, and we have templates on our website that people can use.
"Pressure has had an effect, and today's intention is to keep the pressure. We need an effective Property Act that will take the housing and planning system out of the free market and put it under the democratic control of our communities.
"We held the rally today, on the 60th anniversary of the broadcast of Tynged yr Iaith, a lecture which inspired the founding of Cymdeithas yr Iaith later that year. We have won several campaigns since then, thanks to the work of ordinary people, and we are confident that we will win this fight as well. "
Another speaker at the rally was Gwenno Teifi, who is looking for a home for her family in Llandysul, where she grew up.
She said: "Although we have saved money for several years, it is not enough to afford to buy a house in the town. We could compromise and move to a nearby area, but all the schools are closed, there are no shops, and the houses are even more expensive.”
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