‘Makes you shake your head’: Reality of Far North housing crisis

Up to 13 people bunking down in a two-bedroom unit while languishing for years on a social housing wait list has become a regular symptom of a Far Northern social housing crisis.

UP TO 13 people bunking down in a two-bedroom unit while languishing for years on a social housing wait list has become a regular symptom of a Far Northern social housing crisis.

Every day, community connect organisation The MaraWay is confronted with despondent Cairns people forced into unsafe and overcrowded accommodation as escalating demand for low-cost government housing outstrips available stock.

“It’s hopeless mate, you can’t get out of the situation you are in without social housing and private market is pretty bleak,” community hub manager Reggie Jackson said.

“There’s just a critical shortage of housing across the state and Cairns is caught up in it.

“We are talking about 12 or 13 people in a two-bedroom unit and the help is pretty limited. I couldn’t begin to relate to what they are going through, wow. It’s the sort of thing that makes you shake your head.”

Douglas House on Grafton St has been refurbished by the State Government as part of a statewide strategy to tackle homelessness, transforming it from its previous use as a Red Cross headquarters into a temporary home and social worker hub to help people off the street and into affordable, long-term housing.

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Despite a Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy pledge to build 121 new social housing homes — through the Housing Construction Jobs Program, with 65 already built — Mr Jackson said the wait list was years long.

“The wait time is a minium of 18 months, but sometimes five, six or seven years, depending on the situation,” he said.

“Even if we do address the problem (now) it will still be a minium of two years before the supply hits the market.

“We are not the only ones dealing with this. Every support agency around Cairns would have the same story.

“We have a lot of community members (reporting) overcrowding, which leads to mental health problems. It affects kids at school; the flow-on effect (impacts) the whole community.”

A Department of Housing spokeswoman said Cairns social housing wait times varied, depending on “the needs of the household, locations they wish to reside in and the type of housing required”.

Last year Bryant Building Contractors began work on 42 single-bedroom units under a state government social housing contract. Form worker Trent Denman smoothing out the roof of the building during a concrete pour. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

Mr Jackson said while some families moved in with relatives, others took their chances at the Cairns Villa and Leisure Park.

“It is a temporary solution while they wait for social housing but you could be stuck in there for up to seven years,” he said.

Originally published as ‘Makes you shake your head’: Reality of Far North housing crisis