Why a Taylor Swift concert is inflaming Scotland’s homeless situation

[KARAH RUCKER]

AS SWIFTIES DESCEND ON THE U.K., ONE CITY IS MOVING OUT SOME OF ITS HOMELESS POPULATION TO MAKE WAY FOR POP STAR’S FANS.

SCOTLAND IS GEARING UP FOR TAYLOR SWIFT’S SOLD-OUT CONCERTS NEXT MONTH, AND NOW EDINBURGH IS GRAPPLING WITH A SEVERE HOUSING DILEMMA. THE INFLUX OF FANS IS CLASHING WITH THE CITY’S STRUGGLE TO ACCOMMODATE ITS HOMELESS POPULATION AMIDST A DECLARED HOUSING EMERGENCY.

THE CONCERTS — PART OF SWIFT’S “ERAS” TOUR WHICH IS THE FIRST TO GROSS OVER 1 BILLION DOLLARS WORLD WIDE — ARE EXPECTED TO DRAW AROUND 210-THOUSAND FANS — POTENTIALLY GENERATING OVER $125 MILLION FOR THE SCOTTISH ECONOMY.

THE INFLUX OF TOURISTS IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE DEMAND FOR HOTEL ROOMS.

HOUSING AUTHORITIES IN SCOTLAND SAY SOME HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IT SUPPORTS HAVE BEEN RELOCATED TO OTHER NEARBY CITIES — ONE PERSON EVEN BEING OFFERED TEMPORARY HOUSING MORE THAN 120 MILES AWAY –

ALL OF THIS AN EFFORT TO CLEAN UP THE CITY BEFORE HOSTING THE SUPERSTAR AND HER SWIFTIES.

SOME HOUSING AUTHORITIES CALLED THE DECISION TO MOVE THE HOMELESS TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE TOURISTS “A BLATANT INJUSTICE.”

EDINBURGH DECLARED A HOUSING EMERGENCY LAST YEAR — FOLLOWED BY A NATIONAL HOUSING EMERGENCY DECLARED BY THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT EARLIER THIS MONTH.

DESPITE THE LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE HOMELESS — WHICH INCLUDES HOTELS — THE EDINBURGH CITY COUNCIL SAID THAT IT IS NOT DISPLACING TENANTS FOR CONCERTGOERS. HOWEVER — SECURING AVAILABLE ACCOMMODATION DURING THE EVENT HAS PROVEN DIFFICULT.

MEANWHILE — EDINBURGH’S COUNCIL HOUSING CHAIR ACKNOWLEDGED THE HOUSING EMERGENCY CHALLENGES, SAYING THAT TOURIST ACCOMMODATIONS ARE USED AS A LAST RESORT TO HOUSE HOMELESS PEOPLE. THE COUNCIL IS ACTIVELY SEEKING SUITABLE ALTERNATIVES FOR AFFECTED RESIDENTS.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

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