Glasgow City Council is urging owners of more than 2,500 vacant properties to bring them back into use as the city faces a growing housing emergency.
The council has written to property owners, asking them to either sell or rent their empty homes to help address the shortage of available housing. With approximately 7,000 active homeless applications and over 4,000 households in temporary accommodation, officials say immediate action is needed.
Councillor Ruairi Kelly, the city’s convener for housing and development, stressed that the situation is “not sustainable”.
“The supply of new housing has not kept pace with demand for decades,” he said. “At the same time, more than 2,500 homes in the city are lying empty. That’s not sustainable. Addressing vacant properties in Glasgow could be one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways of making a major impact.”
Glasgow declared a housing emergency in 2023, followed by a nationwide declaration in May 2024. The council acknowledges that there are various reasons why homes become vacant and is offering assistance to owners, including help with repairs and renovations, to encourage them to bring properties back into use.
Cllr Kelly added: “I’ve got an obligation – and a moral responsibility – to pursue any resource I can that might increase the supply of housing in the city.”
The letters sent to homeowners outline the support available and encourage them to take action in an effort to ease the unprecedented pressures on Glasgow’s housing system.
