Action to tackle 'unacceptable' empty homes in Scotland announced
The move comes as Scotland is currently facing a housing crisis after a national emergency was declared in the Scottish Parliament over a year ago.
Last year, The Herald launched a seven-point 'charter for change' to help end Scotland's housing emergency including a call to change the law so thousands of Scots found to be at risk of homelessness every year get support earlier to stay in their homes.
The Charter for Change also called for the conversion of empty and void properties into affordable, settled homes to be sped up to move people out of temporary accommodation quickly.
Last year, council tax data published by the Scottish government showed that 43,538 properties in Scotland were lying empty, and 73% of these homes were empty for over a year.
The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million Scottish Government investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26.
The Scottish Government says this funding they have announced will see staff take a "more proactive and targeted approach" to tackling local housing issues.
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Funding will also be used to train and induct new staff, grow services and ensure empty homes are utilised, including by increasing support for Local Authorities to make compulsory purchase orders.
Ms McAllan said: 'Bringing homes back into use is a vital part of our plan to tackle the housing emergency – when too many families are struggling to find somewhere to live, it is unacceptable to me that so many houses are lying empty for long periods.
'It's vital to help councils to step up measures to turn privately-owned empty properties into much-needed homes and it's encouraging that local authorities have already come forward to make use of this support.
'As the First Minister has set out, this government is determined to eradicate child poverty – and tackling the housing emergency by making sure families have access to a home is a crucial part of that.'
In a sit-down interview with The Herald, the new housing secretary also pledged to not roll back on house building targets.
In 2021, the SNP promised to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.
However, their critics in parliament and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations have said they will fail to meet this commitment.
Asked by The Herald if the target is still credible, Ms McAllan said: 'I think it is. I think that it will require us to step up. It's challenging for a number of reasons not least costs.'
The Cabinet Secretary cited inflationary costs that have been 'bearing down' on construction since Covid as well as rising demand for housing.
She added: 'These are challenging targets but I think the public expect their governments to challenge themselves.
"I'm absolutely not intending to roll back on any of that.'
Ms McAllan said the 'core' of action to tackle house building should be the Affordable Housing Supply Programme in which the government is investing £768 million this year in which the secretary says will translate into 8,000 affordable homes.
However, she said this is "not enough" and that is why she is exploring "what levers can be pulled to bring empty homes into use" to "turn around social voids".
Ms McAllan also said the Additional Dwelling Supplement is also "potentially helping" with the issue of second homes issues.
Nine local authorities have so far agreed to employ the additional empty homes officers.
Scottish Empty Homes Partnership National Manager Tahmina Nizam said: 'Every home matters as we work together to end Scotland's housing emergency.
'In councils across the country Empty Homes Officers are delivering results, with over 11,000 homes having brought back into use since 2010. The additional posts supported by this funding will expand on that vital work. New Empty Homes Officers are already in post at City of Edinburgh Council, while recruitment is underway in several other local authorities.
'Homes weren't built to sit empty; every empty home has the potential to transform a family or individual's life, but collectively they have an enormous role to play in reducing housing need and tackling the housing emergency.
'We look forward to welcoming more new Empty Homes Officers as they come into post and supporting their efforts to bring more homes back into use.'
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