The number of locals waiting for council housing in Dundee has barely budged in recent years with more than 7,000 people on the list.
Information released by Dundee City Council shows the number of residents that are currently awaiting a move sits at 7,270 — around 5% of the local population.
The number is just over 50 more than the total in 2015.
The council says around half of those individuals are requesting transfers from existing homes and it is aiming to provide 1,000 new homes by 2021.
At present it has 207 homes available to let, almost all of them one or two bedroom properties.
The majority of these are flats and multi-storey flats.
Only one has more than two bedrooms — a five bedroom semi-detached house.
The data also reveals one person has been on the list for 63 years.
The tenant is believed to have been offered the chance to move into other properties, but has not taken up any of the offers.
Dorothy McHugh, who was previously an executive committee member of the Dundee Federation of Tenants Association (DFTA) and is now secretary of the Dundee Pensioner’s Forum, said the figures were shocking.
“The housing being built in the city is meant to be affordable but to whom?” she said.
“They aren’t building enough either.
“The last time I was involved in the DFTA a few years ago I remember it being roughly similar.
“It would be interesting to know the comings and goings to see if it is new people being added or many of the same.
“Across the UK social housing availability is appalling.”
Councillor Anne Rendall, convener of Dundee City Council’s neighbourhood services committee said the authority was doing everything in its power to ensure people were appropriately housed.
“To make access easy for those who want to apply for social housing, the council operates a common housing register with its partners Hillcrest Housing Association, Caledonia Housing Association and Abertay Housing Association,” she said.
“Although there are around 7,000 applicants registered, around half of the applicants are requesting transfers from their existing homes.
“In order to meet housing need in the city the council, along with registered social landlords, is building new housing under the affordable housing investment programme, with 1,000 new homes being delivered by 2021.
“Houses have to be allocated by the council and housing associations in accordance with appropriate legislation, guidance and policies which allocate on the basis of assessed need.”
