The MSP heard about new housing developments within Ayr town centre and in rural locations, along with details of new initiatives to help vulnerable tenants stay in their homes and moves to build stronger more resilient local communities.

“Like many other parts of the country the pressure on social rented housing in Ayrshire is significant, it has been enlightening and very encouraging to see the positive steps one of the area’s largest social landlords is delivering to help address some of the housing challenges the area faces,” said Ms Mochan.

Ayrshire Housing was established in 2003 through the merger of Carrick Housing Association and South Ayrshire Homes. Since then, it has grown rapidly to become one of the area’s leading providers of high quality, affordable rented housing, managing 1700 homes in both urban and rural environments.

Ayrshire Housing’s recently launched Business Plan outlined more than £11 million of investment in stock improvement over the next five years. The Association also has plans to build more than 91 new homes over the course of the Plan.

“Although providing more homes for rent is clearly the number one priority in addressing a housing shortage, it is just as important that we prepare and support tenants to help them manage their tenancies and to build and foster a sense of community within our neighbourhoods that can help sustain them,” said Ayrshire Housing’s chief executive, Lesley-Anne Junner.

To provide support for tenants and communities, Ayrshire Housing has recently established new posts to improve community engagement and tenant welfare. 

As well as being local MSP, Ms Mochan is also Scottish Labour deputy spokesperson on Public Health and Women’s Health. 

Ms Mochan said: “The role of housing associations has moved well beyond the provision of good quality homes; they are now community anchors touching on many aspects of tenants’ lives, from advising on welfare and finance issues to environmental improvements and community place making. The work going on at Ayrshire Housing exemplifies this enhanced role that social housing providers now undertake.”