Community - Argyll & Bute Housing Emergency Summit

Housing Emergency Survey

Argyll and Bute Council declared a Housing Emergency in June 2023 due to the acute shortage of housing in the area. This emergency is driven by a complex range of issues including increasing house prices and rents, reducing household incomes, rising construction costs, a decrease in new homes being built, a shrinking private rented sector and a local population which is ageing.

There is no single solution to these issues and the Council will work with local partners to programme a broad range of activities, both short and long term to target action where it is needed most. To help inform the strategy to tackle Argyll & Bute's Housing Emergency, we want to hear from local people in all types of housing to understand better how housing shortage is affecting you and your community. We also want to hear what you think needs to happen to increase housing options and choice in your community.

To do this we are asking you to complete this short survey which should take no more than a few minutes. This is an important opportunity for everyone in our local communities to have a voice tackling the housing emergency, and we are very keen to hear your views.

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* 1. Is a shortage of housing having an impact on your community?

Yes

Don't Know

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* 2. In what ways is housing shortage having an impact on your community?

Young people are leaving my community due to a lack of housing options

Working age people are leaving my community due to a lack of housing

New households are struggling form e.g. adult children remaining in the family home or living care of friends and relatives

Local businesses cannot recruit employees as they have no where to stay

Local services (e.g. health services, schools, shops) have a shortage of people to do essential jobs due to a lack of housing

Local people stuck in homes which are not suitable for their needs

Local people stuck in homes which are not affordable to them

People moving in are pricing local people out of the market

Increase in local people becoming homeless

Other (please specify)

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* 3. What do you think are the main reasons that housing shortage is affecting your community

Not enough homes to buy in the housing market

Not enough affordable/social homes to rent

Not enough quality private rented sector homes

Not enough new homes being built

Limited housing options for families or working age people

Limited housing options for older people close of local services

Too many holiday homes/short term lets

House prices rising more than local incomes

Local incomes are too low to afford rent or mortgage costs

Rising rent or mortgage costs is forcing people to leave

Other (please specify)

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* 4. On the whole, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your home?

Very satisfied

Fairly Satisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

Fairly Dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

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* 5. Could you please estimate what proportion of your income is required to meet your current rent or mortgage costs?

Less than 10%

10-20%

21-25%

26-30%

31-40%

More than 40%

Nothing - I own outright

Other (please specify)

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* 6. Would you currently like to or do you need to move out of this property into somewhere else in the next 2 years?

Like to Move

Need to Move

Don’t Want to Move

Don’t know/Not Stated

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* 7. If you were looking for a new home, how easy do you think it would be to find suitable housing in the area of your choice?

Very easy

Easy

Neither easy or difficult

Difficult

Very difficult

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* 8. If it would be difficult to find housing in your area of choice, why do you think this would be the case?

Financial constraints

Lack of suitable housing for sale in my area of choice

Lack of suitable affordable housing for rent in my area of choice

Too much competition for available homes

Don't have the deposit I need to buy or rent what I need

Need accessible or amenity housing that is not available

Limited jobs or career opportunities in area of choice

Nothing would prevent me moving

Other (please specify)

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* 9. Do you think that there is a need for more housing to be developed in your community?

Yes – housing for sale at low cost

Yes – social rented/housing association homes

Yes - more new build homes for sale

Yes – quality private rented housing

Yes – housing for young people/families

Yes – housing for older people

No – already enough homes for my community

Don’t know

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* 10. What action would you like to see the Council take to tackling the housing emergency?

Encouraging or building more new build housing for sale for principal occupation

Building more homes for social rent

Increasing the size of the private rented sector

Providing more low cost homes for rent or sale e.g. mid-market rent or low cost home ownership

Reducing the number of second homes and short term lets

Supporting communities to develop their own housing for rent

Supporting communities to develop their own housing for sale

Ensuring local people have priority for homes on the market not people moving into the area

Develop more housing options for essential workers moving into Argyll & Bute

Releasing more plots for self build by local households

Other (please specify)

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* 11. If you could deliver one single action that would have a major and positive impact on solving the Housing Emergency in Argyll & Bute, what would it be?

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* 12. How would you describe the household you live in?

Single person household

Two adult household

Single parent household

Household with children (2 Adults & 1+ child(ren)

All adult households (3+ Adults)

Other (please specify)

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* 13. Which housing tenure do you reside in?

Social housing - council or housing association

Private rented sector

Owner occupied housing

Other (please specify)

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* 14. Where do you live in Argyll & Bute?

Bute

Coll & Tiree

Cowal

Helensburgh & Lomond

Islay, Jura & Colonsay

Kintyre

Lorn

Mid Argyll

Mull & Iona

Other (please specify)