Toowoomba social housing complex for 20 people launched by Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch

With Toowoomba’s most disadvantaged waiting months for social housing, a new complex has been launched to ease some of the pain. And the housing minister has promised more.

Minister for Communities, Housing and Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch (left) talks to Pauline Alroe Place resident Elizabeth Davies after opening the Drayton social housing complex. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Life inside Elizabeth Davies’ old Toowoomba social housing unit was becoming dangerous, with the 80-year-old pensioner struggling to tackle the steps in her way.

“It wasn’t suitable, there were about seven or eight steps and the steps were killing me,” she said.

“I would have falls in the shower and the ambulance officers would have to come and pick me up.”

Ms Davies is one of the new tenants inside a $3.8m State Government social housing complex on Drayton Road in Harristown, which was launched on Friday by Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch.

Pauline Alroe Place resident Elizabeth Davies loves the independence she has living at the Drayton social housing complex, Friday, November 12, 2021. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The 12-unit complex, which includes disability-capable ground floor dwellings to support people with mobility issues like Ms Davies, will take potentially another 20 people off the city’s growing social housing register.

It comes a few months after the Queensland Council of Social Services revealed Toowoomba would need another 600 social dwellings to meet demand from the region’s most vulnerable.

More than 1300 people are currently on the register, with the average wait time for a dwelling now nearly two years.

Ms Enoch said the State Government’s new $1.9b investment in affordable housing will create 100 new properties in the Toowoomba region over the next four years.

She said this would grow if councils and other organisations submitted proposals as part of the government’s $1bn investment fund.

“What we’ll see in addition to those (100 homes) is an innovative project come forward from council and other groups to see even more properties built.

“That $1bn investment fund will be about looking for opportunities to partner with council and housing organisations to combine resources and create mixed use developments.”

The new complex was named in honour of former Toowoomba City Councillor Pauline Alroe, who was known for her support of disadvantaged residents.

“Pauline lived over in West Street, just across the road from here, and had worked for years as a volunteer for places like Lifeline and in the St Mary’s school community,” her daughter-in-law Michele Alroe said.

“She put forward the idea of a scented garden in Laurel Bank for the blind, so she was amazing.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with this, it’s incredibly deserved.”

At the opening of Pauline Alroe Place are (from left) Minister for Communities, Housing and Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch with Alroe family members Michele Alroe, Claudia Alroe, Jess Kilner, Louis Alroe, Jesse Alroe and Rachel Alroe. Picture: Kevin Farmer