Islands Housing Fund targets: FOI release

Information requested

Details of any targets or expectations regarding the Islands Housing Fund, particularly regarding any benchmarks for successful builds (for example, this may include an overall target for the number of houses to be built with the fund and/or interim targets throughout the lifespan of the fund).

Any documents evaluating, considering or discussing the success of the Islands Housing Fund so far (including internal communications).

Response

There is no target for the Islands Housing Fund - these homes contribute to the Scottish Government’s target of 50,000 affordable homes by 2021. When the fund was announced a news release was published on 13 September 2016 estimating up to 100 homes with the funding available - https://www.gov.scot/news/housing-boost-for-the-islands/. For information on progress against the Scottish Government 50,000 affordable homes target the Scottish Government publishes Quarterly Housing Statistics and an annual out-turn report. This information can be found at https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration and https://www.gov.scot/policies/more-homes/affordable-housing-supply/.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information that you have asked for because there has been no evaluation of the fund and there are no documents evaluating, considering or discussing the success of the fund so far. We recognise the complex nature of island housing projects and continue to assess project applications to the Islands Housing Fund which can deliver homes by March 2021. We plan to evaluate progress of the Fund in 2019/20. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

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