Researchers examined the costs and benefits of housing-related services provided by the Supporting People programme in Scotland.
Source: Tribal Consulting, Supporting People: Costs and Benefits, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Links: Report | Costs report
Date: 2007-Dec
A report examined the level of information which registered social landlords and local authorities in Scotland provided to their tenants, and to other people who had an interest in their services. There were examples of positive practice across the social housing sector, with the best results coming from organizations that had consulted users about what information they wanted. Consultation rather than legislation seemed to be the key to genuine openness and accessibility.
Source: Open and Accessible? A thematic study into how social landlords share information about performance and governance, Communities Scotland/Scottish Executive (0131 313 0044)
Links: Report | Research report | Communities Scotland press release
Date: 2007-Nov
A report analysed patterns of council and housing association rents in Scotland in 2005-06, and set these in the context of the broader housing and labour markets in Scotland. Five alternative frameworks were set out for establishing a national rent policy in Scotland, striking a balance between national policy objectives and a continuing measure of autonomy for individual landlords.
Source: Steve Wilcox, Tony O'Sullivan and Gillian Young, Social Sector Rents in Scotland, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Nov
A report examined the attitudes of people in Scotland towards homelessness, drawing on the 2006 Scottish Social Attitudes survey. 48 per cent of people agreed that 'most homeless people have just been unlucky in their lives': but 28 per cent disagreed, and 22 per cent neither agreed nor disagreed.
Source: Nicky Cleghorn, Lisa Given and Rachel Ormston, Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2006: Public Attitudes to Homelessness, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Links: Report | Summary | SG press release
Date: 2007-Nov
The Scottish Government began consultation on proposals designed to increase housing supply and choice in Scotland. Local authorities, developers, and builders would be challenged to increase the rate of new housing supply to at least 35,000 per year by the middle of the following decade. The 'right to buy' would be ended in respect of new social housing built by councils and housing associations.
Source: Firm Foundations: The future of housing in Scotland – A discussion document, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Consultation document | SG press release | CML press release | BBC report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Oct
Researchers examined the immediate and longer-term future housing aspirations of households in Scotland. A large majority (86 per cent) expressed a preference for home-ownership rather than renting. Private renters in particular were keen to own a home. This preference was also apparent among social renters, though somewhat less pronounced.
Source: Sue Clegg, Alice Coulter, Gareth Edwards and Valerie Strachan, Housing Aspirations, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Oct
An article examined the policy process in relation to tackling street homelessness in Scotland through the Rough Sleepers Initiative.
Source: Isobel Anderson, 'Tackling street homelessness in Scotland: the evolution and impact of the Rough Sleepers Initiative', Journal of Social Issues, Volume 63 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Sep
Researchers evaluated pilot home zones in Scotland. They highlighted the potential benefits of children?s involvement in the process of home zone design: the creation of safer places for outdoor play (formal and informal) could be an important factor in identifying potential locations for home zones, and informing the process by which projects were designed and implemented.
Source: Land Use Consultants, Home Zones in Scotland: Evaluation report, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Aug
A paper said that a successful housing policy for Scotland should ensure not only that there were sufficient affordable homes for people, but also that poorer households were not segregated into areas of increasing deprivation.
Source: Nick Fletcher, The Future of the Social Housing Sector in Scotland in Delivering Successful, Mixed Communities, Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland (0131 225 4544)
Links: Paper | CIH press release
Date: 2007-Jul
A report said that rapid growth in house prices in Scotland had made buying a home increasingly difficult for many first-time buyers. In some areas up to 30 per cent of working households were unable to afford the cheapest properties available.
Source: Scottish Housing Market Review: Evidence and analysis 2007, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2007-Jun
An article examined how the Scottish Executive's approach to transport had developed since devolution. Although there was much to commend, a number of concerns could be identified - including the possibility that a number of strategic infrastructure schemes appeared to have been approved on political rather than technical grounds.
Source: Iain Docherty, Jon Shaw and David Gray, 'Transport strategy in Scotland since devolution', Public Money and Management, Volume 27 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Apr
Researchers mapped and analyzed the homelessness prevention activities of local authorities and partner agencies in Scotland, with the aim of helping authorities assess the usefulness of different approaches and establish the basis for ongoing monitoring of them. Most local authorities had stepped up their homelessness prevention activities in recent years.
Source: Hal Pawson, Emma Davidson and Gina Netto, Evaluation of Homelessness Prevention Activities in Scotland, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Mar
Researchers examined the experiences and perceptions of individuals applying for social housing in Scotland, in relation to their understanding of allocation procedures. There was a general lack of understanding about how allocation systems operated. There was confusion about how properties were allocated and to whom, regardless of which allocation system was in operation in the respondent's area.
Source: Anna Dudleston and Judith Harkins, Improving Access and Maximising Choice: The applicant's perspective of allocation schemes, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Mar
A report evaluated a project in Scotland designed to help first-time buyers, and some other groups who were unable to afford to buy a home, in the form of an equity stake provided by a registered social landlord.
Source: Glen Bramley, James Morgan and Mandy Littlewood, Initial Evaluation of the Open Market Homestake Pilot, Report 87, Communities Scotland (0131 313 0044)
Date: 2007-Mar