Gold Coast Housing Crisis: QCOSS claims city needs 1455 homes to stop ‘tsunami’ of homelessness
The government is being urged to spend $496 million on emergency housing on the Gold Coast to cope with a shocking rise in the number of families left without a home.
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SOCIAL housing “must be fast-tracked” to protect vulnerable Gold Coasters after it was revealed thousands of residents are desperate for roofs over their heads.
The Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS), Master Builders and the Property Council are demanding immediate fast-tracking of social homes statewide.
It follows a Bulletin report last week that revealed 1455 homes were needed to stem a “tsunami” of homelessness across the Gold Coast.
The report sparked a war of words between Housing Minister Leanne Enoch and Shadow Housing Minister Tim Mander.
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Mr Mander claimed “poor planning” and a “lack of consultation” had blown out the very-high need waitlist in Queensland by 80 per cent in 18 months.
“Queenslanders are at breaking point and severe housing shortages are worsening,” he said.
QCOSS has warned homelessness citywide will spike 13 per cent, and housing stress will rise 32 per cent, between February 2020 and June 2021.
The city’s social housing register shows 3173 families need homes.
Ms Enoch said: “Instead of trying to score a headline, Tim Mander should stick up for Queenslanders and lobby the LNP after they revealed no new investment for social and affordable housing, or renters doing it tough.
“Earlier this month the Morrison government turned its back on vulnerable Queenslanders.
“The LNP do not have a leg to stand on when it comes to social housing.
“(During their time) Queensland had a 90 per cent cut to social housing construction and in 2012-2014 they did not commence a single social home on the Gold Coast.”
Three dozen homes will be completed in Southport next month after a $6.7 million state government investment.
An $8.8 million 20-unit complex is under construction in Labrador, and a total $110 million has been committed to build 392 homes in the Gold Coast region by 2022.
QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh last week called for $496 million to be spent on emergency housing on the Gold Coast.
“There are 5221 people on the Gold Coast right now who don’t have a place to sleep tonight,” she said.
“They cannot afford their rent, they are sleeping in their car, or on a friend’s couch.
“For too long we’ve been using emergency sandbags against what is a tsunami of need.”
STUNNING NUMBER OF NEW HOMES NEEDED ON COAST
MORE than 1400 homes need to be built on the Gold Coast to stem a “tsunami” of homelessness as the city’s housing crisis grows even more dire.
Homelessness will reach a 13 per cent spike and housing stress will increase by 32 per cent by the end of the financial year in June, warns the Queensland Council of Social Services (QCSS).
Southport MP Rob Molhoek has called on government to “more than double” its housing spending in the city.
The government also faces a backlash from council about being more transparent so it can plan around social housing developments.
At least 1455 families are in urgent need of housing on the Coast. The city’s social housing register shows 3173 families need homes.
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QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh said the solution was the government funding $496m for emergency housing.
“There are 5221 people on the Gold Coast right now who don’t have a safe place to sleep tonight,” she said.
“They cannot afford their rent, they are sleeping in their car, or on a friend’s couch.
“For too long, we’ve been using emergency sandbags against what is a tsunami of need. Investment at its current pace is simply not meeting demand.”
Research company Equity Economics predicts homelessness on the Coast will increase by 12.7 per cent from February 2020 to June 2021. Housing stress is expected to rise 32.1 per cent.
Mr Molhoek estimates the city has been “short-changed” more than $350m in a decade.
The government has invested more than $5b on public housing with the Coast receiving about $254 million or five per cent. The current budget provides just $42m for the city.
“Our population is 12 per cent of Queensland so we should have received at the very least $606 million,” Mr Molhoek said.
“The Gold Coast isn’t getting its fair share. Is it any wonder we’re seeing such a huge increase in homelessness?”
“Next month’s State budget is the perfect time for Labor to address this huge issue and make up for 10 years of neglect toward the Gold Coast.”
City councillors are becoming frustrated and vocal about the lack of information available from the state about the housing crisis.
Councillors led by Robina’s Hermann Vorster have sought for more transparency in availability of department housing.
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Mayor Tom Tate wrote to the government seeking changes on the consultation process for public housing, specifically that all submissions be made publicly available.
The Mayor was also to seek an urgent update on the state’s plans to deliver social housing so state-funded infrastructure “can be better anticipated”.
Housing Minister Leanne Enoch said: “As well as the impact of COVID-19 a major factor in Queensland is interstate migration, which is putting increasing demand on the housing market.
“The Palaszczuk government is getting on with the job of building more social and affordable homes through our $1.6b construction program, which is the largest investment in social housing since World War II.
“Last week, the Morrison government turned their backs on vulnerable Queenslanders when the federal budget revealed no new investment in social housing or rental affordability.”
She said the government had committed $110m to build 392 new homes by June 2022, with 101 already completed.
“On the Gold Coast, more than 1800 bond loans and more than 1600 rental grants have been provided in the last year.”
Under the $100m Works for Tradies program 70 more social homes have been funded for southeast Queensland.
A total $8.8m has been given to seven homelessness services on the Gold Coast in 2020-21.
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