A new project designed to bring empty homes back to use in Dundee was announced at the recent Scottish Empty Homes Conference in Glasgow.
The project, which is being funded by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership (SEHP) and The Community Impact Initiative (Cii), will be the forerunner to a multi-year programme that will regenerate empty homes in Dundee to provide housing for people in need.
The renovation work itself will be used to support over 180 local people to gain the skills and qualifications needed to move towards employment.
The Cii is a not-for-profit organisation supporting people affected by long-term unemployment and social isolation through the regeneration of empty homes. Since starting in 2017, 10 regeneration projects have been delivered in Wales, bringing empty properties back into use. The organisation uses the renovation of empty properties as a vehicle to empower people to learn new skills, achieve qualifications, improve their wellbeing, build their confidence and connect with others in their community.
The Cii will work with the local community to learn about local need and build connections with community groups and the council. Once a detailed plan is agreed and funding is secured, they will break ground on the regeneration of the first empty home that they will be bringing back to use.
Lisa Borthwick, national project manager, Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, said, “As a not-for-profit organisation with a fantastic track record of delivering empty home regeneration projects and supporting people in Wales, The Cii have consistently demonstrated their ability to deliver all aspects of this kind of project. Their decision to expand their reach and expertise into Scotland is something we are delighted to be able to support, and will contribute towards achieving our objective of encouraging diverse involvement in work to bring empty homes back to use as affordable housing across Scotland.”
The long-term programme that will be developed as part of the project will be designed to last at least three years, bringing six empty properties back into use and supporting over 180 local people.
Trystan Jones, chief executive at The Cii, added, “We’re very grateful to the SEHP for funding the first year of this project. We know from consultation that projects such as ours are desperately needed in Dundee and we look forward to helping people improve their circumstances whilst brining local empty homes back into use.”
The 13th Scottish Empty Homes Conference took place in Glasgow on 29 February and brought together over 100 housing professionals to discuss the success and future of empty homes work.
