Countdown to 2012

2009 is a crucial year for housing - it's the halfway point to the Scottish Government's commitment to ensuring everyone has a home by 2012.

In 2003, the Scottish Parliament passed groundbreaking legislation stating that everyone who is homeless would have the right to a home by 2012.  Now, with more than 40,000 people registering as homeless in Scotland every year, 60 children becoming homeless every day, and 200,000 people currently on housing waiting lists, meeting the 2012 commitment is an absolute necessity.

With three years to go, the countdown to 2012 has begun. 

We should be well on the way to achieving a home for everyone by 2012, but house-building has decreased during the credit crunch. Efforts to stabilise the supply of homes by reforming the right to buy and introducing measures to tackle repossessions fail to address the underlying problem. Scotland needs more homes - fast.

Shelter Scotland estimates that around 30,000 affordable homes for rent are needed by 2012 to address the unmet housing needs of Scottish households.  

We are calling for the government to commit money to build enough affordable homes so that achieving the 2012 commitment is a reality.

We need your help to make sure that Scotland's politicians live up to their promise. Build a home for Scotland and join our Countdown to 2012 campaign to help ensure everyone has a home by 2012.

Download: Our report Building Pressure: access to housing in Scotland in 2009