Housing emergency
A housing emergency was declared in Edinburgh in November 2023 due to significant pressures on the city’s housing market, including homelessness rates and housing costs.
In November 2023 there were around 5,000 homeless households in Edinburgh being supported in temporary accommodation. These households account for around 7,000 individuals, with around 1,300 of the overall homeless population living in accommodation that is classed as unsuitable.
Our current Strategic Housing Investment Plan identifies the need for 9,500 new houses to be built by 2029 to keep up with projected population increases in Edinburgh.