DOZENS of people are battling to rent flats in low-rise blocks in Muirhouse – when only a few years ago the council couldn't give them away.
The demand in multi-storey blocks is being seen as the latest evidence of the crisis in affordable housing in the city.
Only a few years ago, the flats were so unpopular that nobody would apply to live there.
A flat in the May Court block, which recently became available, attracted 81 bids from people wanting to access social rented housing. That was followed soon after by a property in nearby Gunnet Court for which 79 threw their hat into the ring.
The crisis was previously highlighted when a two-bedroom property in Drumbrae attracted a record 1024 individual bidders in December last year.
The city's housing leader, Councillor Paul Edie, said: "The amount of bids we receive for each property is testament to the housing crisis Edinburgh is currently experiencing. We simply do not have enough affordable homes for people who want to live here.
"We need to build more affordable homes and to do that we need adequate investment.
"The maths is simple and the message is clear – without more new homes at the affordable end of the market, homelessness will grow and more people will end up living in B&Bs, temporary accommodation and hostels."
The council's homelessness strategy shows that the Capital's chronic shortage of affordable housing is creating a growing number of homeless people.
The dwindling supply is expected to get worse with 1700 homes in Pennywell, Gracemount, Sighthill, Leith and Granton set to be demolished by 2014.
Although Edinburgh has three-quarters of the country's affordable housing need, it has under a quarter of the provision.
Inverleith councillor Lesley Hinds, who represented the Muirhouse area for years, said she was stunned by the figures.
She said: "I was shocked to find out recently that so many people, seeking rented housing from the council, had bid for a flat in a 'multi' in Muirhouse.
"I remember a few years ago that it was almost impossible to find people to take empty multi-stories. The demand is as heavy now as I have ever known it."
However, Cllr Hinds said some credit had to be given the improvements made to the properties.
"It's a combination of lack of social housing and upgrades to the flats," she added.
"Now there are intercom systems, they look nicer and the windows have been improved.
"People are more keen to come and live in Muirhouse now, whereas maybe a few years ago when it was more of an estate its reputation came before it."
Rosemary Brotchie, a spokeswoman for homeless charity Shelter, added: "There is a shortage of affordable housing in Edinburgh as this situation and these figures demonstrate."
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www.shelter.org.ukThe full article contains 487 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
