Campaigners want this administration to finish what it started
A leading housing charity says the Scottish Government must turn its attention to the housing crisis, after the SNP won a fourth term at the polls.
Shelter Scotland has been campaigning for the Scottish Government to commit to building enough social homes over the course of the next five years.
Alison Watson, the charity’s director, said: “In its election manifesto, the SNP pledged to build 100,000 affordable new homes over the course of the next 10 years, with 35,000 of those being social homes to be built over the course of the next parliament. While this plan will go some way to tackling housing inequality, it does not go far enough.
“Our campaign, which received the backing of the other political parties along with tens of thousands of members of the public, called for the building of 37,100 new social homes over the course of the next parliament. Our figure of 37,100 was reached by independent academic research.
“So, there is a shortfall of more than 2,000 social homes in the SNPs commitment. To some, this might not seem significant, but it will mean 2,100 households will not have a safe, affordable and secure home, and we know the impact of not having a home that meets your needs is significant and can be long lasting.
“We can only end reduce housing need if the 37,100 number is reached, and we are urging the new Scottish Government to match that call and up its target over the next five years. It is also imperative that these new social homes are built in the right places and are accessible to those in greatest need.”
Watson added: “Naturally, building homes is not the only piece in the puzzle – initiatives such as tackling the number of empty homes, limiting and regulating short-term lets, and making the private rented sector more affordable in the areas where rents are running away, are absolutely vital.
“Shelter Scotland hosted a very successful hustings event last month, in which all of the major parties were represented. The Housing Minister, Kevin Stewart, intimated that he was ‘absolutely confident’ that his government’s proposals would reduce housing need.
“We will ensure that the SNP’s promises are met because, as things stand, building more social homes is now the consensus in Scottish politics.”
Unfortunately blocking council home sales has turned council estates into drug ghettos. Basically, if you have a job buying is cheaper than tidying up a council home for free for the council (like Nicola's parents did) without knowing you have a buy option. This was the biggest single policy to pull people from poverty and into work. Backward logic. The SNP stole inspiration. Adding to that stock seems counterproductive without some form of owner involvement/credit in any social home. That pulls people from poverty. Gives them direction. Mixes people so examples can be seen. And since at this point ALL the taxpayers who will pay for this expansion are out of social houses they won't pay taxes for this. You'll get a backlash the very minute the middle classes go to vote.