Greater Focus on Affordable Housing Needed from Conservatives

Commenting on the housing measures in the Scottish Conservative manifesto for the 2011 elections launched on 4th April,
SFHA Chief Executive Mary Taylor said:

"The Scottish Conservative Party has recognised the need for more affordable housing in this manifesto and in parliament, and we welcome the party's explicit support for the role of housing associations. But that is undermined by its plan to bring back the Modernised Right to Buy for new build social homes.

"Such a policy would only result in the loss of valuable community assets, and for this reason the SFHA has long campaigned against it. Moreover, the maths don't add up - the receipts recouped from Right to Buy sales would cover barely even half the costs of building new social houses.

"We do welcome the commitment to regeneration shown in the promise to repeat the party's Town Centre Regeneration Fund."

Concluded Dr Taylor:

"We call on the incoming Scottish Government to reverse some of the 30% cut to the housing budget by targeting UK consequentials on new build housing, and a rethink as to the serious cuts sustained by housing associations and co-operatives this year."

"We would also like to see more recognition of the value of preventative spending and housing support, including adaptations to homes to allow people to stay in their homes for longer."

Download a copy of the SFHA's election manifesto here

 

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