TRADE body Homes for Scotland has described the decision of the Scottish parliament to vote down a housing emergency call as a ‘lost opportunity’.
Labour’s motion that Scotland is experiencing a housing emergency was defeated by a Scottish Government amendment which instead ‘recognises significant pressures with homelessness and temporary accommodation’.
Jane Wood, Homes for Scotland chief executive Jane Wood, said, “In the context of our capital city having recently followed Argyll & Bute in declaring a housing emergency and a shortfall of +114,000 new homes having accumulated across Scotland since 2008, it has never been more important to consider how we meet the country’s housing needs.
“We must stop going round in circles and find transformational solutions. Today’s debate underscored the importance of this and there were many passionate points made, but the agreed amendment is, to say the least, underwhelming.
“Given the scale of the problem facing our rural and urban communities, it’s a missed opportunity. Scotland’s people deserve better.”
