Black's Blog

What is a housing professional and how do you become such a thing? Jimmy Black tries to think like a 17-year-old school leaver.

Jimmy Black reflects on recent criticism of Scotland's planning system and outlines an interesting legal case which involves NPF4 and West Lothian's Local Development Plan.

Jimmy Black points out some hard truths on homelessness.

If we put digital technology to work, we can perhaps look after our houses and our tenants much better. Jimmy Black reflects on a conversation with Bield about their pioneering work in technology-enabled care. Social housing is waking up to the world of tech. With sensors, we can monitor the humidit

Do passive houses really need to cost more than "normal" ones? And can they still get damp? Jimmy Black explores some themes after a conversation with Angela Currie and Janice McDonald of Hanover Scotland. Decisions, decisions. Take a popular housing scheme in a settled community in one of the lovel

Jimmy Black wishes Scotland had Housing at its Heart, as per the SFHA’s current campaign.

Jimmy Black and Kieran Findlay spent half an hour with the Regulator chatting about dampness and mould, tenant participation, homelessness, small RSLs, big landlords helping little landlords, the private sector and meeting the net zero challenge.

SHN Podcast co-host Jimmy Black shares how intelligent data presented in a user-friendly way can have benefits for housing associations and their board members.

Jimmy Black runs his eye over the latest Solace Scotland report, which calls for urgent action to address a “housing emergency”.

“The best way to encourage tenant participation is to be a terrible landlord”. It sounds like an essay topic for a housing student, but these were the words of David Bookbinder spoken on the Scottish Housing News Podcast. SHN editor Kieran Findlay and I recorded an episode on tenant part

Jimmy Black wonders if tenants will end up paying for zero emissions heating systems, and notes that industry innovators like River Clyde Homes and Warmworks are finding ways to reduce that risk.

Following the latest episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast in which Nick Pollard and Julie McDowell share their environmental, social and governance (ESG) expertise, Jimmy Black ponders what this means for other housing associations and their boards.

Jimmy Black ponders mandatory housing education.

Jimmy Black says it’s ok for Shelter Scotland to demand the impossible. Someone has to.

Jimmy Black explores Fit Homes, modular building, the Rural Housing Burden and shifting mid-market rents out of the private sector… all inspired by the latest episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast.