France monitors homeless project

By Stephen Stewart
BBC Scotland news website

France looks to Scotland for ideas to combat homelessness

Senior French government officials have visited a leading housing project in Scotland's largest city to gain tips on the battle against homelessness.

The delegation visited North Glasgow Housing Association which has been hailed as a benchmark for its efforts to rehouse the homeless.

Legislation was passed in 2003 giving every homeless person in Scotland the right to a home by 2012.

The trip will now help the French Government to implement similar laws.

President Jacques Chirac ordered his government to prepare legislation making the right to a home a legal requirement in France.

Depute director of North Glasgow Housing Association, Ann Marie Devlin, said: "We give homeless applicants a high priority for rehousing as part of our allocations policy and since 2002 we have had a year-on-year increase in the number of lets made to homeless applicants.

International reputation

"We are optimistic that with everyone pulling in the same direction that the target of ensuring every unintentionally homeless person has the right to a home by 2012 can be achieved."

The visitors to the Springburn area of Glasgow included Georges Cavallier, Chairman of the Fédération Nationale des Centres Pact Arim, Remi Gérard, Managing Director of the Fédération Nationale des Centres Pact Arim, and Naziha Nhari, International and European Officer.

The delegation spoke to leading housing officials including the director of Shelter Scotland, Archie Stoddart.

He said: "It is amazing to have our homelessness legislation seen as a leader in Europe and reaffirms the importance of meeting Scotland's 2012 target that everyone should have a home.

"Shelter has been bombarded with French journalists looking to find out how the changes to Scottish homelessness legislation will benefit people.

"It makes it all the more important this year that we see additional investment in affordable rented housing through the comprehensive spending review to ensure the legislation delivers for the people of Scotland and that we live up to our new international reputation."