SFHA Annual Conference: A Reflection on Housing In Scotland

By Kirsty Wells · 13 June 2025

“It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” is a quote famously attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson the American philosopher but surely at times it’s about both.

On my way to the SFHA Annual Conference in Glasgow on Wednesday morning, as I sat on the train, news started coming through on my phone that Rachel Reeves was going to announce £39bn of investment for the next decade in the housing sector in England, along with the much-requested rent settlement which provides stability to treasury management and financial investment. As someone who has now worked across the UK for 13 years my immediate thought was “it looks like it going to be a day to remember for colleagues in England. What does it mean for Scotland?”

Well, breaking news continued throughout the day, with the First Minister’s mini cabinet reshuffle and the announcement that Mairi McAllan MSP, is now the Cabinet Secretary for Housing with responsibility for all aspects of housing policy, including heat in buildings, and that this appointment provides a new focus to the government in tackling the housing emergency, stimulating economic growth, delivering net zero ambitions and tackling child poverty.

A dedicated Cabinet Secretary for Housing in Scotland. 

£39bn committed to the sector for the next decade in England.

How will these decisions be remembered in 50 years’ time?

When I reached my destination in Glasgow, we heard in the opening session from notable sector figures – David Orr, Mary Taylor and Craig Sanderson – about some of the highlights and challenges of their careers, as SFHA celebrates its 50^th birthday.  Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Alex Neil were mentioned as the best Housing Ministers we’ve had, by Craig, and for those of us with long enough memories I’m sure most of us would agree with that view. 

Mairi McAllan, in her new job, has the weight of expectation on her shoulders.  Not only from housing professionals, planners, private developers, construction workers, financiers and her political peers.  She, like Angela Rayner, has the expectations of multiple generations on her shoulders. 

This destination will generate billions more pounds to the economy in preventing hospital admissions, reducing the demand for social care, creating young people who have the skills, knowledge and desire to contribute to the economy and society in whichever career or sector their journey takes them.

As a sector we have a significant part to play in Mairi McAllan and Angela Rayner’s journeys and we need to be brave as we travel.  There will be crossroads, there will be roadblocks, there may even be leaves on the line but we need to come together to work creatively, innovatively and passionately to support the people who need homes to succeed in reaching their destination.

At ARK Consultancy, we are part of that journey – we are supporting clients to think differently about housing supply, to implement culture change which improves the experience of staff and to redesign services with tenants and customers at their centre,  We are providing people through our recruitment and interim services to build capacity within organisations and provide skills and experience which are needed to take housing businesses into the future.  We are committed travelling companions to housing associations, local authorities and charities.

On my return journey from Glasgow to my own safe, warm home I reflected on a good day. I’d seen colleagues within the sector, I’d had good conversations and we’d celebrated 50 years of the SFHA at the annual conference, of housing associations and the contribution of Sally Thomas, outgoing CEO of SFHA, who can quite rightly be commended for her leadership and influencing over the last 8 years in Scotland.

But I also wondered, in 50 years’ time when the SFHA and housing associations are celebrating their centenaries how will these decisions, made in June 2025, be viewed.

• Will they be viewed as the start of a new invigorated journey for the sector?
• Will families and communities have improved destinations because of them?
• Will Mairi McAllan and Angela Rayner be viewed as politicians who had successful journeys?

I hope so.