Cairns housing crisis to be discussed at emergency Queensland Housing Summit
A bold but radical proposal involving existing commercial buildings is among a raft of ideas being put forward to address a critical shortage of housing in the Far North. Find out what’s being proposed.
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CONVERTING existing commercial premises into residential buildings and putting up local and state government-owned land for immediate development are some of the ideas being put forward to ease a desperate housing shortage ahead of this week’s emergency summit.
And sector heavyweights are warning the situation in Far North Queensland is poised to get “far worse” if drastic interventions are not introduced.
The state’s leading body for housing and homelessness, Q Shelter, is spearheading the call for the conversion of commercial buildings.
The company’s policy and strategic engagement manager, Jackson Hills, said his company was “energised and prepared to bring big ideas” to the Queensland Housing Summit in Brisbane on Thursday, capable of having a quick impact on the state’s housing crisis.
Cairns Housing and Homelessness Network chair, Sally Watson, said mass displacement in the community was inevitable if clear policy was not introduced around housing and land supply, and better Airbnb regulation.
She wants a review into short-stay accommodation across the region “to better understand how much stock is in that market”, with tighter regulation and management.
“The complexity of housing systems requires varied responses including a clear policy framework for housing and land supply, backed by serious investment,” she said.
“There is no single answer but rather a series of urgent initiatives that must be advanced as quickly as possible.”
Cairns has a current rental vacancy rate of 0.5 per cent and has tightened from 0.7 per cent at the same time last year, according to a recent REIQ report, with “clearly visible signs of homelessness across the region.”
Douglas Shire Council Mayor, Michael Kerr, said the amount of owners using properties as Airbnb stays was putting an enormous strain on the Port Douglas rental market.
“The rental market has now disappeared which is causing a lot of housing stress and Airbnb is one of our big pains and has taken a lot rental properties out of the market,” he said.
“It’s diabolic for people looking to rent here.”
Mr Hills, said “push-pull factors” of mega events such as the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games would “only make things worse on the entire housing system.”
“A challenge of this nature really needs all levels of government, the not-for-profit sector and the private sector working together in new and innovative ways.”
Ms Watson said she hoped Cairns was considered a high priority at the emergency summit, not just the south east corner of the state.
“Projections in relation to housing supply issues show that the problem will continue for far longer in the regions than in SEQ, if nothing is done,” she said.
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