Homeless Qld: Thousands of single-parent families in limbo

Queensland families are being forced into ‘unimaginable situations’ with the housing crisis forcing some to live in cars, tents and motel rooms, while others are pushed into dangerous households.

Queensland mothers have been forced to return their families to the dangers of a domestic-violence-ridden household and live in cars with newborn babies as horrific details of the state’s housing crisis are exposed.

A coalition of housing advocates have pleaded with the major parties to address the critical undersupply of homes as new analysis shows one-third of the applicants, more than 8100, waiting to be housed are families with children, and 90 per cent of those are single-parent households.

Some families are now living in tents. Pictture: Sam Rosewarne

Over 80 per cent of the register’s applications with children have been assessed by the state government as having a high or very high need of social housing, meaning private rentals are not an option, according to the Queensland Council of Social Service.

The advocacy groups have urged the major political parties to federally fund the construction of 5000 dwellings each year ahead of the election as soaring house prices and historically low vacancy rates coupled with crippling inflation has forced families into “unimaginable situations”.

Queensland Council of Social Service chief executive Aimee McVeigh. Picture: David Clark

“We need more homes,” QCOSS chief executive Aimee McVeigh said.

“Women and children are returning to domestic violence situations and living in cars with newborns because there is nowhere else to go.

“Children are going to school from cars, tents and motel rooms and the situation is getting worse.”

Three Queensland mothers with three to four children revealed their harrowing experiences of being forced into homelessness after fleeing abusive partners to support and advocacy group Micah Projects.

One, who cannot be identified because of her experience with domestic violence, was a pregnant mother who moved her four children between temporary accommodation.

After more than 60 rejections for rentals she gave birth while being homeless, a state of insecurity where her family continues to languish after more than 12-months.

Another mother of three children between five and 12 was so desperate for a roof over their heads after fleeing a violent partner she was forced to live for two months in a hotel advocates say was known to be unsafe for younger children.

The family were unable to find stable accommodation for eight months, in which time the children were starved of being able to regularly attend school.

Brisbane’s median house price soared more than 32 per cent in the 12 months to March, to over $850,000, according to CoreLogic, while rental vacancy rates in many South East Queensland suburbs sits below 1 per cent.

Interstate migration and the recent floods has made housing availabilities competitive, but advocates blame a $1.1 billion funding reduction per year on housing and homelessness.

They’re also critical of the decision to scrap the National Rental Affordability Scheme by 2024, which advocates say will lead to an extra 10,000 Queensland families losing housing support.

“Post-Covid, the environment has completely changed,” Micah Projects chief executive Karyn Walsh said.

“There is literally nowhere to go.

“We’re brokering more people into hotels because we do not want to see more children on the street.

“In some cases, women are returning home back to an abusive partner, which is just not something we as a society, which is committed to ending domestic violence against women, should be accepting.”

Some families find they have no option but to live in their car.

The devastating toll of an undersupply of social housing will be inflicted for “generations to come”, warns families and communities service provider Kyabra Community Association.

“The lack of affordable rental options also create limited vacancies in domestic violence shelters and transitional accommodation,” the association’s chief executive David Toole said.

“This means that women and children trying to escape domestic violence are trapped within violent relationships because there is nowhere for them to go.”

Originally published as Homeless Qld: Thousands of single-parent families in limbo