SFHA Comment on Shelter "Black Hole" Statement

Responding to Shelter's comments on the "black hole at the heart of social homes funding", the SFHA .... echoed concerns that the Scottish Government won't meet its target to build 6,000 affordable homes this year.

SFHA Chief Executive Mary Taylor will be one of those leading housing figures taking part in today's (Thursday's) round-table summit on housing supply.

Speaking ahead of the summit Dr Taylor said:

"This summit is extremely timely given the 30% cut made to the affordable housing budget this year and the SFHA echoes Shelter's concerns that the Scottish Government will meet its own target to build 6,000 new affordable homes.

"Scotland's latest housing statistics released last week, showed a 40 per cent drop in new housing association home approvals. Our research shows 1600 shovel-ready homes across the country are at risk this year alone, homes which have been years in the planning. We need to sustain affordable house building to meet need and boost the economy.

"This is a taste of things to come if action is not taken by the Scottish Government to restore spending after the massive cuts which the affordable house building has sustained in the last year."