Gordon Welcomes Scottish Government Taking Action On Affordable Housing

MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Gordon Macdonald has welcomed the Scottish Government announcement of £40 million for councils across Scotland, including almost £15 million for Edinburgh, to boost the supply of affordable homes. 

First Minister John Swinney outlined in the Programme for Government that £600 million would be committed to affordable housing in the current financial year and allocating this £40 million will allow for the purchase of properties to reduce temporary accommodation and bring vacant buildings back into use.

Across Scotland councils have been supported to purchase almost 1,500 properties in 2023-24 for use as affordable homes and the allocation of this £40 million will accelerate that work to ensure that families across Edinburgh have a safe and warm place to call home. 

Commenting, Gordon Macdonald said:

"Tackling the housing emergency is one of the major issues across the city and one of the key ways we can solve it is by bringing empty and vacant buildings back into use.

"This £40m fund, introduced by the Scottish Government as part of the £600m affordable housing budget, will ensure that we can build on the 1,500 properties that were brought into use for affordable housing in the past year and the almost £15m allocated to Edinburgh will have a significant impact in tackling the housing crisis across the city.

"Every family in Edinburgh deserves to have a safe and warm place that they can call home and with the decisions taken by the Scottish Government that is exactly what they will get."