Report calls for £3.4bn investment in housing
Housing campaigners say the pandemic recovery can be kick-started by investing in more affordable homes.
Shelter Scotland, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) made the plea after publishing a report into the feasibility of the investment.
They want the next government to invest £3.4bn in housing over five years and commit to 53,000 affordable new homes to be built.
The move would reignite the Scottish economy, the organisations say.
The study, Affordable Housing Need in Scotland Post-2021, is a follow up to research produced five years ago which informed the Scottish Government’s current programme, which is delivering the most affordable homes for a generation and was on track before the pandemic hit.
While the study was carried out before the pandemic, the effects of the coronavirus crisis mean that a commitment from all political parties to the new target is vital in order to help rebuild Scotland’s economy, create jobs and reinvigorate its communities.
The present Scottish government has pledged to build 50,000 affordable homes - including 35,000 properties for social rent - in this parliamentary term.
Ministers said they were on track to meet this goal before the pandemic struck, causing work to be halted on building sites across Scotland.
Sally Thomas, SFHA chief executive said: “"Committing to this new target and building affordable housing must be at the heart of Scotland's recovery as part of a government and public sector-led approach, ensuring everyone has the home they need and, at the same time, giving confidence to full-scale economic renewal. A home has never been more important. This crisis has opened everyone's eyes to the value of a safe, warm and affordable home."
Alison Watson, director of Shelter said Scotland still faces a significant backlog from years of under-investment in affordable and social housing - a legacy which leaves people facing homelessness living for months, or even years, in temporary accommodation. “To right the wrongs of the past, and to help our economy and communities recover from the pandemic, we must keep building," she said.
Callum Chomczuk, national director for CIH Scotland, added: “This isn't the time for timidity. Politicians, from all parties, must think differently and recognise that we can choose to end homelessness, to end poverty in this country and give everyone the right foundation for safe, secure life."
Housing minister Kevin Stewart said the report was "welcome research", adding that the Scottish government recognised the "important role" housing played in tackling inequality, promoting social justice and securing economic growth.
