New data shows Gold Coast shortchanged on social housing for homeless

Shock new data shows how little housing is dedicated to helping the homeless, and how little is in the pipeline to address the exploding issue.

The Gold Coast’s social housing stocks have barely moved in the past five years, placing additional pressure on the city’s homeless and rental crisis, the state opposition says.

Only 173 social housing bedrooms have been built in the Gold Coast catchment since 2017.

Opposition housing spokesperson Tim Mander said the social housing bedroom data was “an accurate KPI” on what the government was providing, drilling down to the number of people in need rather than properties.

Opposition spokesman for Housing Tim Mander highlighted the low rate of new social housing bedrooms built in Queensland. Picture: Shae Beplate

“What it does, it tells you about the capacity of the system to take you in. It’s the best indicator of how much additional housing is provided,” he said.

The data shows the city’s social housing had increased only 2.12 per cent from 8178 bedrooms in 2017 to 8351 in 2021.

By comparison other regional and rural areas like Gladstone (up 11.39 per cent), Isaac (59.18 per cent), North Burnett (31.06 per cent) and Barcoo (55.56 per cent) had experienced massive spikes.

Under government guidelines, families seeking affordable, public or low-cost accommodation must determine the number of bedrooms they are entitled to or need.

Homeless 'camps' in the dunes at Broadbeach.

A homeless camp by the popular Gold Coast beach and the North Burleigh headland.

Mr Mander said the state’s social housing crisis falls firmly at the feet of the government.

“Our most vulnerable Queenslanders are being horribly let down,” he said.

“Halfway through the nearly $2bn, 10-year Queensland Housing Strategy, only 1190

additional bedrooms have been built.

“Social housing stock has flatlined in Queensland despite an eye-watering increase in

demand.”

Across the same five-year period Queensland’s social housing waiting list has increased by 70 per cent from 29,000 to 50,000.

“You can’t trust this government to put a roof over your head when you really need one,” Mr Mander said.

The Bulletin has put the spotlight on the city’s housing crisis with several reports highlighting how the homeless were living.

The downside of the city’s property boom was up to 4000 people are without homes, many of them due to high rental costs.

Council data shows 63,500 households on the Coast have very low or low incomes – under $65,000.

Homeless living at the popular North Burleigh beachfront on the Gold Coast - their blankets on the foreshore fence line.

Almost 15 per cent of all households are in housing stress, and the supply of crisis, supported and affordable housing is not meeting the demand.

Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon this month exposed what she called the federal government’s failure to address the crisis.

Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon this month accused the Commonwealth of walking away from a vital housing subsidy that would hurt almost 1200 struggling Coast homes.

The Environment Minister has launched a petition calling for an end to planned cuts to the National Rental Affordability Scheme.

That data shows it will affect 422 households in Coomera, 283 in Southport and 158 around Oxenford. Labrador has about 99 homes, and there are 67 in the Nerang area. Currumbin, Surfers Paradise and Burleigh reported much smaller numbers.

The federal government argued the scheme was “plagued with administrative issues” and “expensive, unfair and poorly targeted” with a warning that “governments should think twice about doing NRAS again”.

Thousands lose rental help as feds ‘walk away’

February 5: The federal government’s plan to “walk away” from a vital housing subsidy will hurt almost 1200 struggling homes on the Gold Coast, a city MP says.

Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon has launched a petition calling for an end to planned cuts to the National Rental Affordability Scheme that will affect an estimated 1122 households on the Coast.

But federal MP Stuart Robert has fired back, saying the scheme was “plagued” with problems and “unfair”.

A homeless camp at Burleigh.

A breakdown of data shows 2733 bedrooms are covered by the program across 11 Coast state electorates. The city’s northern suburbs are most affected.

“The Morrison government is walking away from NRAS which will leave more than 10,000 Queensland tenants paying more rent or having to find alternative affordable housing,” Ms Scanlon told the Bulletin.

“I’m very concerned about this. We are just seeing them completely vacate the space (on providing affordable housing).”

The petition’s launch is on the back of a Bulletin special report highlighting how new research found rental stress had created a homeless army of thousands.

Minister for Environment and Gaven MP Meaghan Scanlon has launched a petition calling for a federal scheme on housing rental help to remain. Picture: Tara Croser.

People were either living on the street, in tents on the beachfront, in cars or couch surfing with friends and families.

The downside of the city’s property boom was up to 4000 people are without homes, many of them due to high rental costs.

Council data shows 63,500 households on the Coast have very low or low incomes – under $65,000.

Almost 15 per cent of all households are in housing stress, and the supply of crisis, supported and affordable housing is not meeting the demand.

Fadden MP Mr Robert told the Bulletin: “(Ms Scanlon) and the QLD Labor Government are more than welcome to continue their own funding of a scheme that a review concluded was ‘plagued with administrative issues’ and ‘expensive, unfair and poorly targeted’ with a warning that ‘government should think twice about doing NRAS again’, but the Morrison government will not.

“The Commonwealth is working jointly with the states and territories to improve social and affordable housing outcomes as a priority under the $1.7billion a year National Housing and Homelessness Agreement.

“This year the Productivity Commission will review that agreement to ensure it is meeting its goals.

“On top of that in 2020-21, the Morrison Government also provided around $5.3 billion to individuals accessing Commonwealth Rent Assistance, the largest government private rental assistance program in Australia.

“This represents an increase in real terms of 12.8 per cent from 2019-20, which corresponds to an increase in the number of individuals and families (recipient households) receiving CRA over the same period.

“The Coalition established the NHFIC and as at 20 October 2021 we had approved over $2.7 billion of loans to community housing providers to build more than 14,000 new and existing social affordable homes.

“On 16 December, we increased lending capacity to support another 2,500 social and affordable dwellings in addition to the 14,000 dwellings.”

Residents had reached out to MPs and councillors after a homeless couple were photographed having sex in a toilet block at north Burleigh near where nippers were training at the beach.

Police patrolling and handing out masks to those enduring homelessness in Surfers Paradise during a Covid-19 lockdown. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Ms Scanlon has written to federal Employment Minister and Fadden MP Stuart Robert seeking help, saying the state had committed $2.9b to social and affordable housing.

She said she was concerned the federal government was walking away from NRAS without any genuine funding alternative.

“The federal government’s decision to discontinue the scheme will mean by mid-2025 up to 10,000 Queensland households will have to pay more rent or will be forced to find alternative housing,” Ms Scanlon told Mr Robert.

Homeless living at the popular North Burleigh beachfront on the Gold Coast - their blankets on the foreshore fence line.

That data shows it will affect 422 households in Coomera, 283 in Southport and 158 around Oxenford. Labrador has about 99 homes, and there are 67 in the Nerang area. Currumbin, Surfers Paradise and Burleigh reported much smaller numbers.