yeah it sucks - but to put it in perspective - you are paying off an asset - if you decide to, you can sell that asset and may get some money back (esp with the way the economy is - housing is getting more expensive by the day - so if you buy now, five years from now, you are likely to sell with a profit) - if you are paying rent, you are at the whim of someone else, paying off their mortgage for them. if you have to up and move (which can happen at any time - with no choice in the matter), you get nothing when you leave. nothing at all. in fact, you are only in semi-stable housing, and you lose a crap load when you have to move - it's by no means a cheap exercise!

there is not enough government subsidised housing by far for those living on the poverty line - in some areas, the wait for public (income tested) housing is up to 15 years. in the interim, there is assistance for those on the lowest end of the income scale to subsidise the cost of private rentals
Yeah that does put it into perspective but it doesn't make day to day living any easier. You are spot on about public housing the wait is shocking.