A coalition of leading housing organisations has today (Monday) warned the Scottish Government that a 'business as usual' spending settlement will not tackle Scotland's growing housing crisis.

Today, the organisations reveal the maximum number of affordable rented homes that could be built if the budget for housing simply keeps pace with the overall change in Scottish spending for the next three years.

The estimate shows that only a little over 18,000 affordable rented homes could be built - far below the 30,000 affordable rented homes target that many commentators have been calling for.

And Shelter Scotland, the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland (CIH), the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and the Scottish Council for Single Homeless (SCSH), today challenged the Scottish Government to tackle the housing crisis and earmark at least an extra £750 million for affordable housing. The Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO) also joined the call for a cash boost for housing.

The organisations say the extra cash is essential to bring balance to Scotland's housing market and help alleviate long waiting lists and move people out of temporary accommodation. The warning comes less than a week after it was announced the Scottish Government plans to publish the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) details in mid-November, when it will allocate almost £90 billion over the next three years.

Archie Stoddart, Director, Shelter Scotland, said: 'Housing policy and spending have been poor relations in the past 20 years and this has left a massive backlog. It is no longer enough for housing expenditure to wait its turn in the queue when the budget is decided. Investment in 30,000 affordable rented homes must be a top priority for the SNP in its first budget.'

Alan Ferguson, Director of CIH, said: 'The Scottish Parliament has shown it takes housing seriously but we need to see a financial commitment. Housing is central to health, education, the environment and a thriving economy. Now is the time to deliver the housing that Scotland needs.'

Jacqui Watt, Chief Executive, SFHA, said: 'The Government has shown its commitment to unblocking housing supply in Scotland by setting up the Housing Supply Task Force to look at issues, like land supply and planning. However, Ministers must pledge the finances and develop the supporting structures needed to deliver more affordable homes than ever before.'

Robert Aldridge, Director, SCSH, said: 'The 2012 homelessness target [3] represents the most ambitious and forward-looking homelessness legislation in Europe. We need to ensure we all work together to reach that deadline - building more affordable rented homes will help to do that.'

Kenny Simpson, Chairman of ALACHO, said: 'Local authorities have the strategic responsibility to identify and help meet housing needs in their area. Chief housing officers would like to see a genuine commitment from the Scottish Government towards meeting housing need through the CSR settlement.'

Notes to Editors

1. The calculation shows how many extra homes could be built if the average changes in the Scottish budget (based on the settlement set out by the Treasury in the 2007 CSR) between now and 2011, were applied to the affordable housing budget section of the Communities Budget. In the best-case scenario, the number of affordable rented homes built over the next 3 years would be 18,184. The projected build for the last three years was 16,500.
2. The housing organisations have been calling for 30,000 affordable rented homes for Scotland through this year's CSR. For more information visit the media room at www.shelter.org.uk/csr_media
3. In 2003, the Scottish Parliament passed internationally acclaimed legislation stating that by 2012 all unintentionally homeless people would have the right to a permanent home
4. Christina Cran, Shelter Scotland, 0844 515 2442 (connects to out of hours), (www.shelter.org.uk), Lucy Adams, SFHA, 0131 473 6244 (www.sfha.co.uk), Nick Fletcher, CIH Scotland, 0131 225 4544, 07831 394 731, (www.cihscotland.org), Robert Aldridge, SCSH, 0791 780 6713, or Alice Ann Jackson 0771 889 5583 (www.scsh.co.uk).