John Swinney said bringing back empty homes into use is key to tackling the newly declared housing emergency.
The First Minister said the housing supply has to be developed and new investment has to be found to ensure more new homes are built.
The Scottish Government declared a housing emergency this week.
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It comes as the Glasgow Times revealed the number of people in temporary accommodation in the city topped 7000 including almost 3000 children.
Speaking at an event at the new Barclays Campus, in Tradeston, to business leaders John Swinney said as first minister he was “in the business of making things happen” and repeated his statement that tackling child poverty is his mission.
The First Minister visited the campus with Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister.
The Glasgow Times asked the First Minister how the Government would deal with the newly declared housing emergency and particularly tackle rising homelessness in the city.
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Swinney said: “Part of the answer is about investment to expand the resources we have got to develop the housing supply here in Scotland.
“And that will take a number of forms. Some will be about new builds, some will be about the activation of existing properties into use.
“We have a very high number of them, as well as that homeless challenge, there’s also a significant amount of vacant properties that are not somehow fully developed in the plan.”
He said more than half a billion has been allocated to affordable housing this year.
The First Minister added: “The interventions we will take across a range of different areas, some of it will be about new builds through the £600m that we’re spending on affordable housing this year.
“They are also about activating new channels and private investment and about activating properties that are not currently in use.
“The housing minister is doing a lot of work engaging with the relevant authorities and bodies to make sure we pursue that agenda.”
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