Qld housing crisis: Multimillion dollar cash injection not enough for some

The government will inject millions in cash to address Queensland’s housing crisis, but for some it’s too little too late. JOIN THE CONVERSATION

• Opinion: Bold actions to turbocharge housing supply

A multimillion-dollar cash injection to help people pay rent, open up more emergency housing and launch a community education campaign is one of the latest measures from the state government to ease the housing crisis.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Thursday released the outcomes report from the landmark housing summit held in late October, confirming a $56m funding injection into measures largely focused at short-term relief for those at risk of homelessness.

It includes $11.7m to help about 2500 Queensland stay in their leases to avoid homelessness, $10m for targeted loans and grants and $10m to set up extra temporary emergency accommodation with on-site support.

Other newly announced measures include strengthening the remit of the state’s planning body, the Economic Development Agency, and putting social housing into its core duties.

A “housing delivery board” made up of a number of department directors-general will also be set up to oversee the implementation of the measures.

The landmark housing summit was sparked by The Courier-Mail’s Hitting Home campaign, which had already pushed the state government to investigate the impact of short-stay rentals on rental availability, allow homeowners to lease granny flats and increase expenditure on social housing.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in Question Time. Picture: Liam Kidston

On the day of the summit, the government also announced it would undertake an urgent audit of state government owned land and buildings to determine if any could be turned into social housing.

This is due to be committed within three months.

The government, in the housing summit outcomes report, signalled it had called on councils to come on board the audit, with 500 sites already submitted for consideration.

“And the government is working with community and faith-based organisations to similarly identify properties that can be used for vulnerable Queenslanders,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Steven Miles confirmed the state government’s audit had so far identified seven potential properties in Southport, Varsity Lakes, Fortitude Valley, Wynnum, Bundaberg, Mango Hill and Albion.

But further investigations on the sites, which are mainly large vacant land and buildings with existing uses, are ongoing to determine suitability and estimated costs.

Mr Miles, speaking in Parliament, also mentioned Economic Development Queensland would plan for a “post-Olympic housing stock boost achieved through the use of Olympic village infrastructure”.

The planning approval process for housing projects, particularly social and affordable housing, will be “streamlined” to “promote increased housing supply diversity and affordability”.

Ms Palaszczuk also mentioning the government’s new modular home factory in Eagle Farm, where public tradies at QBuild will build prefabricated houses – an announcement she made at Labor’s state conference in November.

State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Steven Miles in Question Time. Picture: Liam Kidston

Property and community stakeholders largely welcomed the government’s latest measures, with some criticisms on the lack of focus on “build to rent” incentives and the need to fast track action.

Queensland Council of Social Services chief executive Aimee McVeigh said the new funding would deliver short term relief for Queenslanders, particularly those struggling to pay their rent amid skyrocketing living costs.

But there were 45,958 people on Queensland’s social housing register waiting list that needed homes “built immediately”.

“We need to tackle supply by increasing the number of homes built, regulating short term lettings and repurposing existing government assets,” Ms McVeigh said.

“These announcements support Queenslanders already struggling in the middle of a shocking housing crisis. They do not provide a long-term plan to build sufficient homes.”

Property Council Queensland executive director Jen Williams said there was a “strong program of actions and welcome initiatives” but ideas listed as “areas for further work”, like incentives to promote build to rent, “need to be brought forward to today”.

REIQ chief executive Antonia Mercorella pointed out the $5m in funding to educate the community on the need for growth and diversity in housing, saying it was important to address “NIMBY-ism” (not in my back yard).

The housing roundtable will meet again in March to check progress of the housing situation.

Angela Pickering

AILING ANGELA LIVING IN FEAR

Angela Pickering, 51, says Thursday’s announcements were not enough for those without a lease, and that temporary housing only amplifies the stress.

Since becoming homeless six months ago, she lost care of her children and granddaughter in her custody, saying they were now with her ex-husband.

“That‘s killing me … I just don’t have a place for them to come to,” she said.

Ms Pickering lives in emergency motel accommodation after leaving her marriage and then an attack at the hostel she was staying at left her concussed.

She can only stay where she is until January and despite working six days a week consistently, she is still being denied rental properties after hundreds of applications.

She fears if housing is not secured by then, she may lose her life.

“I don’t think they care to be honest … my whole family we've given 120 years of defence service … and their daughter, their granddaughter, their sister is homeless,” she said.

“They don’t see the big picture, which is that I'm very sick and I can’t get better until I have a home.

“I can’t be homeless again … I’ve lost so much weight … I’m pretty much starving to death because I can‘t eat from the stress.”