Over 5,000 people, 500 of these registered as homeless, are currently on waiting lists for housing. With property prices within the Scottish Borders increasing rapidly.
Housing within the Borders has recently become very difficult to purchase with the ever inflating prices rocketing, otherwise known as the ‘property boom’. This means it is close to impossible for house seekers, especially first time buyers to put their feet on the property ladder, let alone actually reach the top.
To house those who are currently listed for awaited shelter will take up to 13 years, not including the thousands that will be added within the next few years – even though there is already a massive 568 people with the priority of being homeless.
In some circumstances people have actually listed as homeless just in hope that they may get lucky at finding a home.
James Bremner, 20, said: “I need a place quite urgently and as I wasn’t getting on very well, I listed myself as homeless is hope to get somewhere quicker. Even now I am still waiting, despite waiting for months, it’s ridiculous!”
Despite local criticism there is still a homeless hostel standing unused in the town of Galashiels due to lack of parking and garden facilities, even though there is in fact over 135 people left homeless within this very town.
If housing is so desperately needed, it is extremely unlikely that it will matter about such minor details as these.
Laura Stewart, 26, argued: “I want a roof over my head, not a parking space for a car I don’t have!”
Another home seeker, Stuart Lothian, 22, said: “It’s a huge building, and using this for housing would be perfect, but no, they won’t. Making it a completely pointless building.”
It is still unknown what exactly will happen to this site, as discussions are still underway. In the meantime the building has been a target for severe vandalism and crime. Leaving a possible opportunity as nothing more than an empty, useless waste of space.
