Housing crisis officially recognized by Scottish Borders Council
The Scottish Borders Council has declared a housing emergency, joining five other local authorities in the country that are grappling with a growing housing crisis. Cllr Stuart Marshall, the council's leader, expressed his sorrow over the current situation, while Cllr Julie Pirone, representing Tweeddale East, voiced her support for the declaration and called for immediate action.
The housing emergency in the Scottish Borders is part of a wider national crisis, characterized by an increase in applications for social housing and rising homeless households. Across Scotland, the social housing stock has declined by nearly 200,000 homes from 1993 to 2023, intensifying pressure on available accommodation.
In the Borders region, approximately 30,000 homeless households are estimated to be in Scotland, though detailed regional figures for the Scottish Borders specifically are not available. Across the UK, homelessness and rough sleeping have surged post-pandemic, and councils are under financial strain to provide temporary accommodation.
Local housing providers are securing significant funding to address the crisis. For example, Eildon Housing Association recently obtained an £18.7 million investment from Royal Bank of Scotland to build new affordable homes in the Borders. This funding injection aims to increase social housing supply to meet continuing demand.
However, the challenge of managing adaptations for tenants with disabilities remains a notable issue in Scotland. Local authorities are legally obliged to fund necessary home adaptations, but delays and funding pressures continue to be an issue. Efficient delivery of home adaptations improves quality of life for vulnerable tenants but adds complexity to the social housing sector’s demands.
More broadly, Scotland faces systemic roadblocks delaying new housing developments, worsening the shortage of affordable homes and social housing across the country.
Cllr Marshall has been dealing with issues related to overcrowding, ageing windows, and faulty heating systems on a daily basis. He has received numerous pleas from parents and guardians about these problems. Cllr Pirone, on the other hand, receives calls daily from people who cannot afford housing and are young, as well as from people in overcrowded accommodation who cannot be moved.
Both Cllrs Marshall and Pirone emphasized the need for more innovation in the housing market and for both governments to support the council's efforts. The housing emergency in the Scottish Borders highlights the urgency for immediate action to address the housing crisis in Scotland.
It is worth noting that nearly 10,000 children in Scotland are growing up in temporary accommodation, adding another layer of complexity to the housing crisis. However, the Scottish budget has not been discussed in the context of the housing emergency.
[Image: Bayo Adegunloye]
References:
- Scottish Government
- Eildon Housing Association
- Scottish Housing Regulator
- Shelter Scotland
- Scottish Government
- The housing emergency in the Scottish Borders, a branch of the nationwide crisis, necessitates immediate innovation in the housing market to accommodate the ongoing demand for social housing.
- The urgency for action is underscored by the severe shortage of affordable homes and social housing in Scotland, with nearly 10,000 children currently growing up in temporary accommodation.
