Housing campaigners have called on the Scottish Government to act to solve the country’s homelessness crisis.

Shelter Scotland took their case to the streets of Glasgow urging the public to sign a petition calling for more homes to be built.

The charity is calling for the Scottish Government to declare a housing emergency and a commitment to buy and build 38,500 social homes by 2026.

READ NEXT:Number of rough sleepers reported in Glasgow revealed

Alison Watson, Shelter Scotland Director, said: “Glasgow’s housing emergency is devastating lives so today we’re sending out a housing SOS. 

“A household becomes homeless every 16 minutes on average, while 45 kids each day lose their home in Scotland. 

Glasgow Times:

“What’s so frustrating is that it doesn’t have to be like this, we know that by delivering social homes the government can end our housing emergency and give hope to the thousands of people across Scotland experiencing homelessness.” 

In Glasgow, the latest figures from the council show thousands of people stuck in temporary accommodation, hundreds in hotels and B&Bs and more than 2000 breaches of unsuitable accommodation rules.

READ NEXT: Housing First budget uncertain with no funding guarantee

There were 6588 people, including 2624 children, living in Glasgow City Council temporary accommodation on September 1.

There were 25 homeless families with children living in temporary hotel/B&B accommodation on September 1.

There were 798 people living in temporary hotel/B&B and there were 2246 breaches of the unsuitable accommodation order in temporary accommodation between  January 1 2023 and September 1, all were in hotel or B&B accommodation.

The council said it only uses B&B for families with children for a short period of time before being moved to a temporary furnished flat.

The latest data was obtained by Sean Clerkin, campaign coordinator of the Scottish Tenants Organisation, and seen by the Glasgow Times.

He said: “It is shameful that we have 25 families with children living in squalid hotel/bed and breakfast accommodation in Glasgow.

“Humza Yousaf as First Minister and a Glasgow MSP has to lead on this issue right away by giving more financial resources to Glasgow City Council Homeless Services so that families with children are not left in substandard temporary accommodation and that conditions in such temporary accommodation are drastically improved.”

Glasgow City Council has previously said it does not know if it will have a budget for rapid rehousing transition plan, which prioritises tenancies for people at risk of rough sleeping.

The city is facing a cut of £1.2m if the Scottish Government does not continue funding the rapid rehousing beyond next year.

Officials have started preparing an “exit strategy” from the RRTP if cash is not forthcoming.

Ms Watson added: “We are breaking records all the time. We know rapid rehousing works. Local authorities need certainty of funding.

“Glasgow City Council has been stepping up, they want to end reliance on B&Bs. They need to be fully funded to do that.”

Yesterday the Glasgow Times reported how 149 people had reported sleeping rough before being assessed as homeless between June 1 and September 1.

And that the Simon Community informed the council of 62 people it had engaged with who were sleeping rough over the same period.

A spokeswoman for Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership said: “We use bed and breakfast accommodation to provide emergency accommodation to homeless households. 

“We try to ensure that families with children stay in bed and breakfast for as short a time as possible, with 79% of temporary accommodation provided through either temporary furnished flats or supported accommodated services.

“We have, through the rapid rehousing transition plan, invested additional resources to improve joint working with Registered Social Landlords. Despite the significant challenges faced by the housing sector, we continue to work constructively with housing associations to increase the number of settled lets to homeless households.”

Housing minister Paul McLennan said: “Tackling homelessness is a key priority for the Scottish Government and our Ending Homelessness Together action plan, developed with expert input, is the right strategy to end homelessness in Scotland.

“We are making available £3.5 billion over this parliamentary term to support delivery of 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, 70% of which will be for social rent and £538 million of that will be available for Glasgow. This includes investing at least £60 million to help local authorities and Registered Social Landlords acquire properties for use as high quality, affordable, permanent homes.

“Rapid rehousing transition plans play an important role in Scotland’s homelessness strategy and aim to reduce the need for temporary accommodation.

“We have provided local authorities with £52.5 million between 2018-24 for their plans to support people into settled accommodation."