A social housing campaigner is urging Scottish politicians and sector leaders to address the housing crisis urgently.

Speaking ahead of the Share Annual Conference in Glasgow, Kwajo Tweneboa is advocating for an end to the stigma surrounding social housing, which he believes partly contributes to large portions of the population living in slums.

Mr Kwajo made headlines after the death of his father in a squalid and vermin-infested flat in the Eastfields estate in south London bringing Europe’s largest housing association Clarion to account.

He said: "I’ve spoken to thousands of tenants from all corners of the UK, including Scotland, and they feel forgotten about.

"Social housing hasn’t been prioritised for years. We need to look at housing and rental as a necessity, not just a way of accumulating wealth.

"People should not be living in destitution in Scotland in 2024.

“We must shift the focus on building housing to social housing, reforming from a bottom-up approach to make sure we are improving the lives of those suffering worst, first.

"The reality is, housing in the UK is built on terrible foundations."

At the Share Annual Conference on March 15 and 16, housing sector staff and committee/board members from across Scotland will gather for networking opportunities and workshops.

The conference, held at Glasgow's Grand Central Hotel, will feature discussions led by senior Scottish Housing Regulator staff, investment experts, damp and mould specialists, and housing association leaders.

 

Glasgow Times: Daryl McIntosh, chief executive with Share, said housing associations are under immense pressure

Daryl McIntosh, chief executive with Share, said: "Kwajo has real first-hand insight of the damage that unsafe, inadequate housing does.

"His experience brings everything home and I’m sure he will have delegates captivated.

"The reality is housing associations are under immense pressure.

"Adequate training and meaningful professional development have never been more vital.

“That can range from the more physical elements of looking after homes to the softer skills required to support tenants to overcome their challenges.

“All of these areas will be explored in depth at our annual conference – and we’re really looking forward to having the leading lights in this sector together to share experience and wisdom.”