Calls for more public housing to ease Cairns rental squeeze

A Cairns public housing shortage is keeping would-be low income renters out in the cold, a homelessness service says.

Shelter Housing Action Cairns (SHAC) CEO Sally Watson is calling for more public housing in the city. Picture: Brendan Radke

A “soul destroying” public housing shortage and tapped out private rental market is forcing Cairns families to live in cars and tents, a homelessness support service says.

The Queensland government announced last week it had forked out almost $10m in bond loans and rental support between July and September this year.

During that time, it’s estimated that 103 Cairns renters received around $500,000 in financial assistance.

But Shelter Housing Action Cairns (SHAC) CEO Sally Watson said more public housing is urgently needed to ease the burden.

“We’re working with people who are in desperate circumstances and meet all the criteria, in some cases who have been on waiting lists for a number of years,” Ms Watson said.

“They’re still not going to get a public house because there aren’t enough and people aren’t leaving public housing.”

Member for Cairns Michael Healy said more public housing is built with an additional funding application pending. Picture: Marc McCormack

In response, Member for Cairns Michael Healy said more social housing was on its way.

“We’ve got 50 social homes under construction right now in the Far North, as well as funding being considered through our Housing Investment Fund for 490 more homes in Woree,” Mr Healy said.

“But we want to help people stay in their rental too.

“This financial support can help bridge the gap when it comes to bonds, rent increases or circumstances where it means you can’t pay a couple of weeks’ rent.”

SHAC’s services have been overwhelmed in recent years with high demand for government rental assistance placing significant stress on staff, Ms Watson said.

“You could double our funding and we’d still have more demand than we could cope with,” she said.

“There are families living in cars and tents and with friends and relatives right now.

“It started with Covid and it hasn’t let up. Rents keep rising as supply is still going down.

“A bond is quite often 20-30 percent higher than it was a few years ago.

“Our workers are trying to get the same outcomes for more people but there’s only so much you can do when the housing supply is finite. Getting fewer outcomes for clients can be soul destroying.”

Vacancy rates for private rental properties remained under two percent, Ms Watson said.

“Queensland, along with Victoria, has seen the greatest decline in rental dwellings,” she said. “So not only do we not have enough private rentals to start with but we’re losing them as well.”

Originally published as Calls for more public housing to ease Cairns rental squeeze