The emergency in Edinburgh after one in Argyll and Bute reflects deep-rooted pressures in the system.
A housing emergency in Edinburgh, following one declared in Argyll and Bute, reflects deep-rooted pressures in the system, which extend across Scotland.There is no simple or quick answer, but there are gains from bringing vacant homes back into use, longer-term requirements to boost housebuilding, and policy changes that will or could shift the way the housing market works.
Edinburgh's housing problems have a lot to do with its success, in attracting people to live and work there, drawing in investors, a very large number of students and also tourists. Short-term lets are a challenge for Argyll and Edinburgh more than most others, where AirBnB landlords have turned so many homes into visitor accommodation.
That is the main cause of homelessness, where Edinburgh is housing 5000 households in temporary accommodation, and there are 200 applications for the average social tenancy. A legal challenge to the rent controls, which was brought by the private landlords, including rural estates, led on Thursday to a judgement in favour of the Scottish government.
Allied to that could be changes to the structure of the market, which could meet resistance: Forcing the sale of vacant properties and restricting the purchase of second and holiday homes. New powers are on the way that would allow councils to do some of that through increased council tax.
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