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15:52 PM, 2nd November 2023, About 6 months ago 15
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Edinburgh has become the first city council in Scotland to declare a housing emergency, as it faces a ‘crisis’ in both the public and private renting sectors.
The declaration was made after a motion by the council’s housing convener, Jane Meagher, who highlighted the ‘severe challenges’ of providing affordable and adequate accommodation for the city’s residents.
The motion cited the record number of households in temporary accommodation, which stands at 5,000 – the highest in Scotland.
It also pointed out the severe shortage of social rented homes, with about 200 bids for each available property.
Also, the city has the highest rental inflation rate in the UK at 13.7%, putting pressure on low-income and vulnerable tenants.
Before the council agreed to the motion, Labour Coun Meagher told the meeting that people are ‘horrified’ at the real number of homeless people in Edinburgh and there are now 44 council officers dedicated to reducing homelessness in the city.
Along with the motion receiving lots of support, tenants are struggling with cost of living and post-pandemic issues, she said.
Coun Meagher warned that not only is demand not being met, but there are more families, asylum seekers and private rented sector tenants needing to be housed.
She said: “This is not a party political issue. It’s a basic human right and the situation is getting worse.”
Coun Meagher also urged every local authority in Scotland to declare an emergency so they ‘can take concerted efforts’ in resolving the problem.
Coun Tim Pogson said that families are spending more than a year in temporary accommodation – those entering homeless accommodation can look forward to being rehoused by January 2025.
More than one councillor backed the call from Shelter Scotland to declare an emergency while the city has seen a reduction in its housebuilding funding.
Conservative Coun Iain Whyte spoke about the ‘impact of the rent cap and the signal it sends to landlords’.
He added: “It’s no surprise that one in four landlords are thinking of selling up.”
He said more housing is needed to resolve the problem and added: “The rent cap is having a real effect and other regulations are potentially driving landlords out.”
Previously, Green Coun Ben Parker had said the rent cap is a good policy.
And before a vote was taken, Coun Meagher rejected an addendum from the Conservatives and said that a rent cap is a ‘necessary tool’ to control the ‘greed of landlords’.
The council will now work with council officers, third sector partners, external organisations such as SHAPE, Shelter Scotland and Cyrenians, to establish a Housing Emergency Action Plan.
The plan will build on and consolidate existing actions to address the housing emergency, such as increasing the supply of social and affordable housing, preventing homelessness, supporting tenants’ rights and improving housing standards.
The council will also seek additional resources from the Scottish government to help meet the challenges.
The council leader Cammy Day will write to the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister and the housing minister.
The government’s Housing Minister, Paul McLennan, has said ‘tackling homelessness is a key priority’ that the government is ‘working closely with local authorities and partners to prevent and alleviate homelessness’.
He added that the government has invested £3.5 billion in affordable housing since 2016 and has committed to deliver 100,000 affordable homes by 2032.
The City of Edinburgh Council is not the first local authority in Scotland to declare a housing emergency.
The Argyll and Bute council made a similar declaration in June this year, citing a lack of suitable and affordable housing in rural areas.
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Paul Essex
18:27 PM, 2nd November 2023, About 6 months ago
If only they had listened to those actually providing accomodation.
Reluctant Landlord
7:48 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 6 months ago
you reap what you sow.
you make it really difficult for those providing what little supply there is and then wonder why the situation gets to a crisis point??
Marlena Topple
11:15 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 6 months ago
This situation has been brought about by the total failure of government and still they talk about 'greedy landlords'. It seems as though LL will never be seen as partners just pariahs.
JeggNegg
11:22 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 6 months ago
these horrific homeless numbers do not appear over night. what have those that get paid and are 'responsible' to MANAGE homelessness been doing.?
if Shelter Scotland have been stating there is an emergency, surely they have some positive ideas to resolve the emergency.
if so what are they.
its so easy in life to find fault with most things in life, but that is not a solution.
my wife finds faults with what i do every day! sometime s she also suggests an alternative- thats progress.
ScotsLL
11:26 AM, 3rd November 2023, About 6 months ago
A crisis created by politicians who are driven by ideology not common sense or intelligence. They claim to support tenants yet look at those very same tenants they say they support - now living in temp accomodation due to their policies. So they look to create a Housing Emergency Action Plan, but excluding a key sector, the PRS sector, from contribution (for example via SAL).
Lomondhomes
13:49 PM, 3rd November 2023, About 6 months ago
They want to control the PRS, Best way then is to purchase from those selling due to their own policies. But politicians too blind to see consequences of their actions. 34 years of letting, now selling as fast as i can.
14:55 PM, 3rd November 2023, About 6 months ago
Lomondhomes
17:13 PM, 3rd November 2023, About 6 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Cally O at 03/11/2023 - 14:55
Yes, why do they want to ruin our businesses having bankrupt their own
Morag
19:00 PM, 3rd November 2023, About 6 months ago
Reply to the comment left by ScotsLL at 03/11/2023 - 11:26
"The council will now work with council officers, third sector partners, external organisations such as SHAPE, Shelter Scotland and Cyrenians, to establish a Housing Emergency Action Plan."
This says all we need to know. Input from everyone except the one group with the means and insight to know exactly what to do.
ScotsLL
8:06 AM, 4th November 2023, About 6 months ago
Absolutely agree Morag.
Cally O, what a really informative and impactful list. In an attempt at humour, it reminded me of the chorus from the song, Letter from America by The Proclaimers. But replacing with the words above:
Rental housing in.... Edinburgh no more. Birmingham no more, Woking no more, Croydon no more........
In an eviction, I will be clearly stating to my tenants why they are being evicted, (ie as a consequence of government policy). I owe them the truth. Then, its up to them who they decide to vote for in the future.