follow us on Twitter


Login Here


Lost Password?

Need help registering or using the site?
Click here for our FAQ page



Looking for more information or documents?
Visit our Resources Library

Home » Campaigns & Policy » Housing Investment

Housing Investment 

Bloomin’ marvellous … new housing provided by North Glasgow HA (Picture courtesy of North Glasgow HA)CCHAs have a distinguished history as developers of affordable housing - from the early days of improving slum housing in inner cities and town centres, to transforming low-demand municipal housing, to cutting-edge urban regeneration projects.

For some CCHAs, housing development programmes in their areas are substantially complete. 

But in many parts of the west of Scotland, investment from government is still needed to tackle poor quality housing and to support area regeneration. 

Maryhill by night … Stratford Street , looking great (Picture courtesy of Maryhill HA)Our members face major challenges in meeting local housing needs.  Public spending on housing set is set to reduce substantially.  And recent government policy is characterised by short-term thinking that will make it harder to build new houses at affordable rents and to build new houses in a financially sustainable way. 

GWSF’s campaigning and policy work on housing investment happens on two levels:

  • We represent the interests of all our members, in seeking to influence Scottish Government policy on housing investment issues
  • We represent the views of our members in Glasgow on housing investment issues in the city.

You can use the links below to find out more about our work on housing investment issues

Housing Investment in Glasgow

Home » Campaigns & Policy » Housing Investment

Housing investment in Glasgow is currently focused on replacing unpopular and sub-standard homes proposed for demolition.  Community-controlled housing associations and co-operatives play a major part in providing these new homes.

GWSF works with the City Council, Glasgow Housing Association, the Scottish Government and others as members of:

  • The Citywide Investment Forum, which discusses future investment strategy and programme delivery
  • The Reprovisioning Working Group, which oversees the programme to replace GHA housing in the city scheduled for demolition and replacement

GWSF contributes a community-owned housing perspective to the City Council’s role as the strategic housing authority.  For example, in relation to:

  • The Local Housing Strategy
  • The Strategic Housing Investment Plan for the city
  • Assessments of future demand for social rented housing.

National Housing Investment Policy

Home » Campaigns & Policy » Housing Investment

The Scottish Government is currently pursuing a policy known as investment reform.  This is based on:

  • Substantial reductions in the level of subsidy available to build new houses
  • Increased house building by local authorities
  • Encouraging housing associations to collaborate with each other in building new houses
  • Meeting a wider range of housing needs – not just rented housing for those on the lowest incomes, but also “intermediate” housing for people on higher incomes who cannot afford to buy a home of their own.

GWSF is working to ensure that these policies do not exclude community-controlled housing associations and co-operatives from being able to build new housing. We also want to see a funding system that is financially sustainable - so that housing associations can continue to maintain their houses to a high standard in future - and that keeps rents affordable rents for tenants in low-paid employment.

We represent the interests of our members in a number of ways:

  • By regularly highlighting our members’ concerns to Ministers
  • By responding to Scottish Government policy documents
  • By taking part in Investment Reform Working Groups led by the Scottish Government
  • By offering our own ideas about the kind of changes that would help meet housing needs in a financially sustainable way.

GWSF representatives have contributed to the work of three Scottish Government working groups on Investment Reform. 

These Working Groups have addressed an approved standard for developers; collaboration and partnerships; and future options for funding investment in affordable housing.

Minutes and reports for Working Group meetings are available on the Scottish Government website, at www.scotland.gov.uk (see Topics > Built Environment > Housing > Investment and Grants > Investment Reform)