Homeless for 1275 days - new figures reveal scale of 'housing emergency' in the Borders
Last updated 22nd Dec 2021
It's supposed to be one of the happiest times of the year.
But, with just three sleeps to go, Radio Borders News can reveal more than 200 people in our region were faced, at the last count, with the prospect of being homeless this Christmas.
And one of them has been without a permanent roof over their head for more than THREE YEARS.
A total of 226 people were declared homeless in the Borders at the end of November.
We can't compare that figure with previous years as the local authority claims that information is "exempt" from our Freedom of Information request.
But it is an increase on the 192 people registered homeless in the region at the end of January.
And the longest someone has been registered homeless over the past three years - as of December the 16th - is 1275 days.
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Alison Watson, a director with housing charity Shelter Scotland, said: "These figures tell us that the Scottish Borders, like the rest of Scotland, are facing a housing emergency.
"There's been decades of under-investment in social housing, and there simply aren't enough affordable homes for people who need them.
"We desperately need to see urgency about those social homes. It's about making sure that next Christmas we aren't again in a situation where people are facing the prospect of losing their home, or being homeless, at Christmas."
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Earlier this year, we revealed of the 4,696 people currently registered with Scottish Borders Housing Association, more than four thousand (4,022) have not had any offers of a home. And some of them have been waiting since 2008.
Eildon Housing Association has announced its intention to redevelop part of the former Borders College site in Galashiels as part of plans to create hundreds of new affordable homes for rent across the region - but work's not expected to start on site for another two years.
And Waverley Housing previously revealed it hoped to start demolition work in the town's Beech Avenue as part of proposals to replace rows of empty properties in Upper Langlee - but there's no sign of the bulldozers moving in yet.
We've asked Scottish Borders Council and the local housing associations to respond.
Do you have a housing story you'd like to share? Email: ally@radioborders.com