Thousands wait for Gold Coast social housing as seniors beg for help

People are facing a crushing wait for social housing as the number of seniors seeking help balloons on the Gold Coast.

PEOPLE with disabilities are waiting 13 years for social housing as the number of seniors seeking help balloons on the Gold Coast.

Community groups at the coal face of the crisis say couples aged in their 70s “who are either homeless or on the brink of homelessness” are crying out for assistance.

They are battling a rising cost of living, low Newstart and pension allowances, and a serious lack of affordable and social housing.

Data from the Department of Housing and Public Works shows that to June 30, 3615 people are waiting to be approved for social housing.

On average, they were waiting 22.9 months for accommodation.

Almost 3000 people are on the waiting list.

Detailed data from 2018 shows that more than 20 per cent of those waiting for help were considered on the verge of homelessness or are already homeless.

Eligible applicants are offered social housing according to their level of need. Those considered “very high need” receive priority.

About 20 per cent of Gold Coast applicants involved children and another 17 per cent were people over the age of 55.

More than 69 per cent of applicant households contained a person with a disability.

The data also shows 25 people have been on the waiting list for a decade and another 108 still do not have a social housing despite applying between 1999-2008.

In one case, a disabled person with a “very high” level of housing need has been on the waiting list since 2007.

The individual was deemed by the department to be in “dispersed homelessness”, classified as a person staying with family and friends as they have no housing of their own.

Despite the need, the vacancy rate for social housing on the Gold Coast at December 2018 was 1.2 per cent.

Some have been waiting for years.

Vinnies Gold Coast executive officer Kris Martin said a couple in their late 70s and a 66-year-old were in need of help last month, and the numbers were only increasing.

In June alone, 27 per cent of referrals to Vinnies’ Cornerstone Homelessness Prevention Service were aged over 55.

“Unfortunately, we have seen too many older and even elderly residents who are either homeless or on the brink of homelessness, especially over the last few months,” Mr Martin said.

“Many of them are older women, which is a real concern, and the problem is getting worse.

“We’re also seeing increasing numbers of referrals for people between the ages of 46 and 55, with 15 in the quarter to 30 June.

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“There are a number of factors contributing to the rise in homelessness among people over 50, including the rising cost of living, the low rate of Newstart and the pension, but more importantly a serious lack of affordable and social housing.

“That’s the biggest thing. There just isn’t enough housing available that is affordable for a single older person on Newstart or a pension.

“Older women are particularly vulnerable to homelessness later in life due to factors such as low superannuation funds, financial dependence on the pension, and domestic and family violence. The death or illness of a partner who has been the primary earner can easily push older women to the edge of homelessness.”

Homeless people have become a common sight across the Gold Coast.

At December 31, 2018, the Gold Coast local government area had 4932 social housing properties and 6782 people living in government-owned and managed tenancies.

In February, Minister Mick de Brenni said public housing allocations in Queensland were based on need.

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“People with the highest need are always assisted first. So if you are escaping domestic violence on the Gold Coast you will, in the vast majority of cases, be allocated accommodation on the same day. Where immediate safety is not an issue, it may not happen as quickly.”

He also suggested those in need of housing could decline assistance because it was not in a suburb they wanted to live.

Last month hundreds of Gold Coasters attended a charity walk raising funds for homeless people. Pic Mike Batterham

“That’s their choice. However, it’s worth noting that the department assists far more people into private housing than public housing. Sometimes people just need a helping hand to address the barriers to housing independence.”

The State Government last week announced a further 20 projects totalling 160 new homes.

Delays, however, still hang over the $10.9 million Gold Coast youth foyer announced last year.

The government pushed back the expected opening to 2020 and have now anticipated construction will commence in 2019-20.

Other support strategies include RentConnect, bond loans, rental grants, and the National Rental Affordability Scheme.

WHO APPLIED FOR HELP IN 2018?

*986 people in total

*192 people over 55

*159 single parents

*181 families with children

*Average number of people per application 2018: 1.76 people

*Average wait time on Gold Coast as of June 2019: 14 months

*Total number waiting on the Gold Coast: 2816

FIRST PREFERENCE HOUSING AREAS:

*Biggera Waters, Runaway Bay — 870 applications

*Currumbin, Currumbin Waters — 361

*Ashmore, Benowa, Southport — 172

*Broadbeach Waters, Burleigh Waters, Mermaid Beach, Mermaid Waters, Miami, Robina — 158

*Arundel, Labrador, Parkwood — 146

*Helensvale, Maudsland, Oxenford, Pacific Pines — 144

*Currumbin, Currumbin Waters, Elanora — 97

*Palm Beach — 61

*Carrara, Highland Park, Nerang, Worongary — 51

*Reedy Creek, Varsity Lakes — 26

*Coomera, Ormeau, Upper Coomera — 23

*Coombabah, Hollywell, Hope Island, Paradise Point — 22

*Merrimac, Mudgeeraba, Tallai, Mulgildie — 13

*Molendinar — 9

Department of Housing and Public Works 2018 Social Housing Register — Wait list data as at 30 June 2018.