Cairns family fears desperate times as housing crisis hits home

There was little joy in the state budget for people desperate for social housing and for other families trying to put an affordable roof over their heads. FIND OUT MORE.

WHITE Rock’s Amy Rodgers-Clarke said her family is facing homelessness after the unit they had lived in for five years was sold to an owner occupier less than two weeks after being listed.

Ms Rodgers-Clarke, 46, her husband and their two children aged 10 and 11, are searching for a new home but in the current housing crisis, the quest is “becoming desperate”.

As more Cairns families are caught up in the rental squeeze, the Queensland government handed down its State Budget on Tuesday, where Treasurer Cameron Dick announced no new funds to build social housing beyond what was announced in last year’s budget.

Meanwhile, state spending on social housing construction will fall from $502m to $441m, despite communities including Cairns, pleading for support to ease the housing crisis, where more than 50,000 people languish on the waiting list to be housed.

Ms Rodgers-Clarke said she was dismayed by the budget’s social housing fail.

“This means everyone will find it more difficult to find a home to rent,” she said.

Ms Rodgers-Clarke said she is genuinely frightened of what the future holds as when she put the word out on social media about the family’s home hunt, she was shocked at how many stressed people reached out.

“We heard our unit at Trinity Links Resort was to be sold, we looked at 20 properties and made 10 applications,” she said.

“The new owner was very generous and gave us an extra month, but it runs out on July 9.

“Regardless of whether we are approved or not we’ll have to put our furniture into storage, at a cost of $500.

“To hire a removal will coast $300 to $400.

“It’s panic stations.”

Meanwhile, owners and operators of Cairns hostels and backpacker managers said they have been fielding more requests for long term accommodation.

Dreamtime Travellers Rest Hostel in Cairns owner Paul Hayward, said he’s getting more requests for long-term stays but can only accommodate visitors.

Mr Hayward, 42, bought the 30-year-old Parramatta Park hostel in 2021.

Dreamtime Travellers Rest Hostel owner Paul Hayward says he’s getting more requests for long-term stays but can only accommodate visitors. Picture: Brian Cassey

“My thoughts are that hostels with their shared facilities aren't suitable for long term renters,” he said.

“We have had a few inquiries but we are really only for travellers, for the next month or so we are pretty booked out and offer two weeks maximum.

“I don’t know what the answer is to the housing crisis, I wish I did,”

Originally published as Cairns family fears desperate times as housing crisis hits home