Local authorities in Scotland are searching for private residences to convert into social housing units.
In East Renfrewshire, the housing crisis has been a pressing issue for several years. Last year, the council declared a local housing emergency, joining several other Scottish authorities, including Edinburgh, in acknowledging the severity of the situation.
Recently, it was revealed that almost 200 households are currently residing in temporary accommodation, including Bed and Breakfasts (B&Bs), highlighting the urgent need for more permanent solutions. This number is expected to increase, with 350 households in the region anticipated to be accepted as homeless and awaiting an offer of accommodation by Autumn 2024.
To address this issue, East Renfrewshire Council has teamed up with charity and social landlord Barrhead Housing to deliver a campaign aimed at increasing the number of council homes available to local people. The strategic agreement between the council and Barrhead Housing includes the development of a new scheme, an important step in tackling the local housing crisis.
Lorna Wilson, chief executive of Barrhead Housing, emphasised the importance of the new scheme, stating that it is a crucial element of the partnership with the council. Meanwhile, Cllr Danny Devlin, housing and environment convener at East Renfrewshire Council, confirmed that the campaign is one of the ways they are working to tackle the local housing crisis declared last year.
In a bid to alleviate the shortage of social housing, the council is also running a campaign asking homeowners to consider the local authority before selling their homes on the open market. The aim is to increase the number of council homes available to local people, helping to reduce homelessness in the region.
On a positive note, a developer has recently won an appeal to build 115 new homes in Yaxley. The developer, Persimmon Homes, will contribute to the efforts to address the housing crisis in East Renfrewshire.
Efforts to combat the housing crisis in Scotland have not gone unnoticed. Nationwide figures show that house prices dropped 0.1% in August, suggesting a potential slowdown in the property market. However, the housing crisis remains a significant challenge, with homeless applications in East Renfrewshire increasing by 53% in 2018, contrasting a 10% increase across the rest of Scotland.
As the council and its partners continue their efforts to tackle the housing crisis, the hope is that the number of households in temporary accommodation will decrease, and more local people will have access to affordable and secure housing.
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