Residents have been asked to share their views on what the key priorities are for housing in Edinburgh.
The strategy will set out the vision for all types of housing and housing related services in the city for at least the next 5 years. It will consider the challenges and opportunities in Edinburgh and will help shape plans and investment.
The strategy will include an action plan which will be monitored through annual reports to the Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee.
The, which is open to everyone, will be live for 6 weeks. Available to take part in online, the results will be used to shape the strategy which is expected to be complete by May 2025. A draft of the strategy will be published towards the end of 2024 for further consultation and feedback.
Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Councillor Jane Meagher, said:
There are enormous pressures on housing in Edinburgh right now. We're a growing city and we face challenges like nowehere else in Scotland, with the lowest propostion of social housing and the largest, most expensive, private rented sector.
It has been six and a half months since we declared Edinburgh’s housing emergency and in that time our funding from the Scottish Government has been slashed and homelessness has risen. However, I welcome their decision to follow our lead and declare a housing emergency on a Scotland-wide scale.
Hopefully this decision signals a rethink on a better housing system that works for everyone, which is why it’s never been more important to have a strong housing strategy. We want to make sure as many people as possible have the opportunity to share their views, so I’d urge everyone to visit our website and share their priorities for housing in our city.
The consultation closes on 14 June.