Fife Council is repeatedly breaking the law by housing people in unsuitable accommodation.
Head of housing John Mills admitted the council relies too much on B&Bs, hotels and other temporary accommodation.
And officers are also turning people away on a daily basis.
Mr Mills was speaking as he unveiled Fife’s emergency housing action plan to deal with rising homelessness in the region.
He said a key part of the plan is about “getting legal”.
“Temporary accommodation through the pandemic more than doubled, but although it’s doubled we’re still turning people away on a daily basis,” he said.
“It’s improved in the last couple weeks, but over the last three to six months we’ve been breaking the law and certainly housing people in unsuitable accommodations such as B&Bs and hotels.
“I think our chief executive would want us to maintain the law.
“But it’s also about getting folk out of B&Bs and unsuitable accommodation and into much better accommodation so they can set some roots down in and enjoy community facilities, access to GPs and local schools,” he said.
Landlords selling properties due to rent controls plan
Mr Mills added that the Holyrood’s forthcoming housing bill is adding to problems.
It proposes some form of national rent controls to keep homes affordable for tenants.
However, some landlords have been selling up amid fears they will be left out of pocket if mortgages and other costs rise.
“We have found that has caused, rightly or wrongly, landlords to leave the sector,” Mr Mills said.
“It is absolutely apparent in Fife that landlords are selling properties.
“They’re giving notice to tenants who are subsequently becoming homeless. That’s a driver for homelessness in Fife.”
And he added: “We need a really robust and healthy private rented sector – suitably managed and suitably assisted by local authorities.”
In addition, turnover of Fife Council homes has fallen significantly since the pandemic.
“That’s fewer housing opportunities for people on the housing and homeless list to move into,” said Mr Mills.
How will Fife housing emergency action plan help?
The Fife housing emergency action plan will aim to boost the amount of affordable housing.
It also promises to make best use of existing properties and prevent homelessness.
“This is not just a homeless emergency,” said Mr Mills.
“This has to be a broad brush housing emergency to try to tackle the lack of housing or existing housing conditions.
“There are around 2,300 empty private sector properties in Fife
.”We are working very closely with private sector landlords and indeed housing associations in Fife to make sure that every empty property is being looked at.
“We need to make best use of our existing housing stock. Wherever there is a house – find it and fill it.”
Mr Mills described Fife’s housing emergency declaration as a political decision based on what’s been “a very pressurised housing situation in Fife and in Scotland for many years”.
The full housing emergency action plan will be brought to the Fife Cabinet Committee meeting on June 6.
Conversation