Homes Build Futures: Why Scotland’s Housing Emergency Affects Us All
In partnership with Homes for Scotland
A year after Scotland declared a national housing emergency, a new campaign is calling on us all to act — because the future our children inherit depends on the homes we build today.
You might think Scotland’s housing crisis doesn’t affect you — but with one in four households now identified as being in some form of housing need, the truth is it touches us all.
Behind every statistic is a story: a young family priced out of their hometown, a child doing homework in temporary accommodation, a generation struggling to find somewhere to call home. It’s this reality that the new Homes Build Futures campaign — launched by Homes for Scotland — is determined to change.
The reality behind the crisis
The numbers are sobering. Across Scotland:
693,000 households (28%) are identified as being in some form of housing need.
250,000 people are on waiting lists.
17,240 households are in temporary accommodation — including 10,180 children.
And more than 110,000 homes are missing from the supply we should have built since 2008.
It’s why Homes for Scotland, the body representing the home building sector, has launched Homes Build Futures — a campaign urging politicians and the public to make housing a top priority in the run-up to next year’s Scottish Parliament election.
More than bricks and mortar
Architect and broadcaster George Clarke, who visited Bancon Homes’ Banchory development to support the campaign, summed it up:
“A home is about so much more than bricks and mortar. It’s about security, health, education, and belonging. Yet for too many, owning or even renting a decent home has become an impossible dream.”
For every new home built, three and a half jobs are supported — and yet housing delivery remains far below the levels needed. The campaign argues that investing in homes isn’t just about shelter, but about building a stronger, fairer, greener Scotland.
Future voices leading the call
At the campaign’s launch in Edinburgh, children joined Cabinet Secretary for Housing Màiri McAllan MSP and Homes for Scotland CEO Jane Wood to make their plea for a better future. Nine-year-old Eimear O’Leary, one of the campaign’s young ambassadors, spoke from the heart:
“Having a home should be a right for every child. Some children don’t have this — and that makes me really sad.”
Her words are a powerful reminder of what’s at stake. As Jane Wood says, “This isn’t about statistics — it’s about futures. Every child deserves the security of a home to grow, learn and dream.”
Joining the conversation
The campaign’s message is clear: we can’t fix the crisis without collective action. That means urging our politicians to prioritise housing, supporting policies that increase supply, and recognising that access to a home is the foundation of a fair society.
As Homes for Scotland marks its 25th year, Homes Build Futures is a rallying cry — to speak up, get involved, and help build a Scotland where every person has somewhere safe to come home to.
To learn more and join the conversation, visit homesbuildfutures.scot