Housing the future

People across Scotland are struggling to afford a roof over their heads. Thousands are being pushed into poverty, particularly children, due to high housing costs. A shortage of social housing means more people are trapped in expensive private rented properties or temporary accommodation. Meanwhile, young people are struggling to get onto the property ladder, and rural areas and islands are depopulating.

These problems are solvable: housing policy in Scotland is devolved. Ministers at Holyrood have the power to change lives and cut housing costs. Yet policy has failed to match the scale of the emergency. The government has focused more on talking about the problem than on actually getting Scotland building again.

This report sets out how the next Scottish government should use its powers to deliver a significant increase in housebuilding rates and tackle high housing costs. It analyses the main impacts of the housing emergency, and examines why Scotland hasn’t built enough since 2007. The report also looks at Scottish public attitudes towards the housing emergency and housebuilding and sets out an ambitious set of solutions to ensure enough good quality homes are built.