2012 homelessness report published today
Scottish Churches Housing Action today published the report Homelessness: achieving the 2012 pledge - an anlysis of the impact of the Scottish Government's target on homelessness. The full report can be downloaded here; and a summary is also available here.
Chief Executive Alastair Cameron comments:
"The setting of the 2012 homelessness target by the then Scottish Executive in 2002 was a bold move which has raised the homelessness issue to higher priority and forced local authorities and other relevant organisations to work harder than would otherwise have been the case. Having made significant progress, Scotland must not simply rest there."
The recommendations from Scottish Churches Housing Action are that moving forward from the 2012 homelessness target will mean:
1 The provision of more affordable housing than envisaged by current plans
2 Ensuring an adequate volume and variety of forms of support provision
3 Handling the impact on homelessness of the current welfare benefits cuts
4 Recognising the massive role played by churches in helping homeless people, and continuing to support it
5 Focusing on national outcomes rather than targets.
