Yours sincerely Paul Lawrence Chief Executive 2 Appendix 1: 1) To note the acute nature of Edinburgh’s homelessness crisis, with approximately 5000 households in temporary accommodation, the highest number in Scotland. 2) To note the severe shortage of social rented homes, with approximately 200 bids for each property advertised through Edindex and additional pressures for accessible and family homes. 3) To also note the impact the lack of accessible homes had on other service areas within the Council, including Health and Social Care. 4) To note the increasing pressure within the private rental sector, with the highest rental inflation in the United Kingdom at 13.7%. 5) To note additional pressures on the social and private rental sector from the increased demand in accommodating refugees from conflicts around the world, many of these conflicts becoming long term with refugees unable to return home and rightly seeking and being provided with permanent accommodation. 6) To note the increased demand from the removal of the local connection rules meaning that anyone in Scotland and, in certain circumstances, people elsewhere in the UK could present themselves as homeless in Edinburgh. 7) To note the pressures on the Registered Social Landlord (RSL) sector, with RSLs report finding themselves unable to develop future housing due to the financial constraints of the rent cap and increasing interest rates, meaning that it was impossible for them to set out a rental business plan that would increase future rents in line with costs.