MSPs to probe homeless waiting lists in Glasgow and impacts of COVID-19

Around 300 people, who were identified as rough sleepers in Glasgow, have been accommodated in hotels and B&Bs during lockdown to take them off the streets and there is growing hope that they will have a permanent home and not return to homelessness.

Today MSPs are hearing about the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on homelessness and the potential implications for the wider housing waiting lists.

MSPs want to probe where those hundreds of people will be permanently housed and what effect that could have on the thousands of others classed as homelessness, but not sleeping rough.

With affordable housing supply targets expected to be missed, by the suspension of construction work, there are concerns that others who are waiting for a move could potentially be affected.

The Scottish Parliament Local Government Committee is hearing today from organisations who help people when they are homeless.

Bethany Christian Trust, Homelessness Network Scotland and Cyrenians will offer evidence of the support people need as well as a home.

James Dornan, Glasgow Cathcart SNP MSP, Convener of the Local Government and Communities Committee, said the wider impact must be considered and planned for.

He said: “Since the onset of Covid-19 we have seen a huge number of homeless people placed in suitable accommodation.

“We want to investigate how sustainable this model is and what is needed to ensure homeless people can remain in suitable accommodation once this pandemic is over.

“We are also keen to investigate how the accommodation of homeless people in social housing is affecting social housing waiting lists for those who are not homeless.

James Dornan

“The Scottish Government has also recently announced that due to the pandemic they will not be able to meet the affordable housing supply target of 50,000 homes by March 2021.

“This meeting gives us the opportunity to examine how this could impact upon the homeless and homeless services.”

Government, councils, charities and housing associations have been involved in efforts to reduce homelessness when Scotland emerges from lockdown.

Glasgow’s biggest social housing provider, Wheatley Group, has made three commitments since lockdown to help Government and councils house homeless people.

Earlier this month it pledged another 100 homes for the Housing First initiative, taking its total commitment to 300 properties.

It also pledged 300 empty homes to councils, including Glasgow , to be used as temporary accommodation during the pandemic.

And it gave a commitment to ‘flip’ 150 temporary furnished homes, where they are converted into permanent tenancies for the homeless people occupying them.