Tens of thousands in ‘very high’ need of a home despite small dip

There’s been a small drop in the number of vulnerable Queensland applicants on the social housing register but those that are on the list are in ‘very high’ need, new data shows.

The number of vulnerable Queensland applications waiting for a home on the social housing register has fallen by 7.6 per cent compared to the previous year, according to new state government data.

As of June 30, 25,364 applicants were waiting to be given a roof over their heads in public housing – a fall of slightly more than 2000 compared to the previous financial year.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the department assisted in providing social housing to more than 5000 households over the last 12-months.

These figures relate to overall applications and do not include the total number of people waiting for a social home.

The number of Queensland individuals waiting for a home is typically higher, given the applications are for households which also feature partners and children.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Liam Kidston

Ms Scanlon said Queensland has the lowest number of social housing applications by population per capita compared to other states and territories, at 0.51 per cent.

But the vast majority of the applicants are in desperate need of housing, with more than 98 per cent categorised as being in “very high” need of a home – the highest of the four administrative levels.

Desperate Queenslanders are also waiting more than 19 months to be given a roof over their heads in the public housing system, which Ms Scanlon blamed on the broader pressures on the sector.

“This reflects the tightening of private market conditions, low private market rental vacancy rates, increasing rental and house sale prices, reductions in social housing tenant turnover and low social vacancy rates,” she said in a response to a Question on Notice to be published on Wednesday afternoon.

“Social housing tenants are staying in properties longer, with an average tenancy of 10 years.

“Similar to the current private rental market, the government owned and managed social housing vacancy rate is low at 1.1 per cent.”

The annual figures were published ahead of Ms Scanlon facing budget estimates on Thursday, with the Housing Minister committing to publicly updating the data every three months in the future following widespread calls from advocates and homelessness service providers.