Single Brisbane mother Shannon Dobson facing homelessness

A single Brisbane mother with two autistic daughters is one of thousands across the country having her rent nearly double after losing a social services rent subsidy. She says the jump is so significant she’s bracing for homelessness or an old caravan on a block of land with no running water.

Shannon Dobson with her two autistic daughters. Picture – contributed.

A single Brisbane mother with ongoing health problems is bracing for homelessness as her rent almost doubles overnight.

Shannon Dobson, 46, of Wynnum, says she may lose her home of five years as rent is set to increase by $350 a week when she loses her rent subsidy.

She is one of thousands of others across the country faced with the same dilemma.

Ms Dobson, a single mother, said she survived on a carer’s payment which she received because she looked after her two autistic daughters, aged eight and nine.

She was forced to sell her family home seven years ago to afford the expensive therapy needed to assist her daughters.

In 2018, the Brisbane family moved to a national rental affordability scheme (NRAS) subsidised home in Wynnum.

However the subsidy provided over the home she lives in is due to wind up, meaning Ms Dobson will face paying market-level rental prices for her home.

A department of social services spokesperson said the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) was an Australian Government affordable housing initiative, delivered in partnership with state and territory governments.

“NRAS provides an annual financial incentive for up to 10 years to housing providers, to rent dwellings at a reduced rate.

“This 10-year time frame was an original design feature of the Scheme,” they said.

“As the 10-year time frame of the Scheme concludes, ongoing tenancy arrangements will be a matter for discussion between tenants, property manager, approved participants and investors who own the dwellings.

“NRAS dwellings will remain subject to all relevant state and territory government tenancy laws, with respect to lease agreements and rental increases.”

For the past five years Ms Dobson has paid $400 a week rent.

Last week she was advised that due to the NRAS program being wound up, her rent would increase by around $350 per week, to a total of $750 a week.

“They said it was to meet current market values and they’re right when you look around all rentals are about the same,” Ms Dobson said.

According to the Australian Department of Social Services NRAS quarterly review, there are 19,212 houses to which the scheme is applicable — where tenants are paying at least 20 per cent subsidised rent.

The report said there was also 226 active provisional homes available, meaning overall there were 19,438 total active NRAS allocations available.

As of last month, there were 17,126 homes which the NRAS had ceased covering.

Shannon Dobson with her two autistic daughters. Picture – contributed.

Ms Dobson, originally from New Zealand, explained through tears that she’d never felt so vulnerable.

“It’s devastating … the hardest thing I’ve ever had to come to terms with,” she said.

“Not knowing where we’re going to live and how we’re going to afford it.

“I’ve worked hard all through my life, saved up for a house, I just never saw myself in this position.

“It’s embarrassing and shameful and we’re just really struggling right now. It all feels impossible.”

Her neighbours, Nicole and Matt Boyce, started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to help the family.

“Shannon is a caring and giving member of the Wynnum community and has volunteered for years,” Ms Boyce said.

“Now Shannon finds herself unable to afford the additional rent increase with no family members in Australia to lean on, unable to find any affordable accommodation for herself and her children (including caravan parks) and unsure what the future holds.

“She has used all she had from the sale of her home to fund her daughter’s therapy.”

Shannon Dobson with her two autistic daughters. Picture – contributed.

The situation for Ms Dobson became increasingly serious as a number of unrelated health concerns developed.

In 2019 an unknown tumour burst in her heart.

Then just a few months ago she was diagnosed with a rare brain disorder.

“I’m very unwell at the moment but doctors still don’t know exactly what it is,” Ms Dobson said.

“Am always in and out of the hospital.

“My girls are struggling at the moment too and I’m being called to pick them up a few times a week from school or therapy because they’re having meltdowns and not coping.”

Shannon Dobson with her two autistic daughters. Picture – contributed.

Her landlord told her rent increases would begin in December — not giving her long to find an alternative living arrangement.

However, they have since given Ms Dobson until the end of January to find another home.

“She has been offered some land to place a caravan on three hours inland although without water or power,” Ms Boyce said.

“It is within driving distance to a country school however Shannon needs to find enough money to purchase a simple safe and roadworthy caravan for her and her children to live in that can function off grid with solar power.”

Accepting this may be her only option, Ms Dobson has started broaching the topic with her daughters.

“It would be almost impossible living so far away from a hospital with my current health issues and moving away from the girl’s therapy,” she said.

“My biggest worry is what happens to them if I was to die out there so far away from anyone.

“Also with bushfire season getting really bad that would be a safety concern.

Shannon Dobson with her two autistic daughters. Picture – contributed.

“It’s been really stressful for all of us and the girls are scared and aren’t coping. I’ve gone into crisis mode and am trying to create some certainty around our future.

“But that’s hard when I don’t know where our next home is going to be or if there is going to be another home for us at all.

“A friend of mine has five kids on the spectrum and they spent a year living in a garage waiting on public housing.”

Since her heart issues in 2019, Ms Dobson has been experiencing extreme symptoms of dizziness, passing out, vomiting, brain fog, fatigue, has been very weak, and needs lot of rest.

“It’s been incredibly hard managing my health and looking after the girls … I don’t even know how I’m physically going to be able to pack up my house,” Ms Dobson said.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do anything.

“I feel very vulnerable and uncertain at the moment.”

You can donate to support the family here.

The department of social services spokesperson said the Australian Government was providing states and territories with around $1.7 billion through a one-year extension of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA) to 30 June 2024, to assist states in delivering social housing and homelessness services.

“Commonwealth Rent Assistance will still be available for eligible tenants. In 2023-24, the Australian Government expects to spend around $5.5 billion in Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) to assist households receiving income support with the cost of private rental or community housing,” they said.

“It currently provides immediate assistance to around 1.3 million households. On 20 September 2023, the maximum rates of CRA were increased by 15 per cent. This is the largest increase in CRA maximum rates in more than 30 years.”