Emma Roddick MSP uses first summer recess meeting to visit Highland Housing Alliance

To mark the start of her summer recess tour, Emma Roddick visited the Highland Housing Alliance to find out more about the work they’re doing to create more affordable homes in the Highlands and future projects.

Following the visit, Roddick commented:

“It was great to hear more about the work that the Highland Housing Alliance are doing to provide affordable housing for rent and for sale for those that are seeking a home, as well as their recent handover of three new properties to the Highland Council.

“There is a distinct lack of affordable housing across the Highlands & Islands and this is devastating for my constituents and their communities. It’s one of the most common issues that constituents get in touch with my office about.

“I am acutely aware of the fact that, last year, almost 2,000 young people across the Highlands & Islands signed an open letter expressing their concerns over rising house prices and an increase in holiday-let properties which they called an ‘existential’ crisis. Sadly, not much has changed since then.

“The number of properties being removed from the housing market to provide short-term accommodation is continuing to climb steadily, raising prices, and reducing availability of homes.  I received a commitment from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing last year that she would revisit the issue of tackling the increasing numbers of short-term lets and is something I will continue pressing on, but I hope that councillors across the region will act fast on implementing control zones to tackle the issue as quickly as possible.

“Housing has always been and remains my top priority as MSP. I am committed to using my time as MSP to bring change in the devastating housing crisis my constituents are facing across the Highlands & Islands.”