New social housing plans revealed for Toowoomba amid 1800-person waitlist

Toowoomba locals have overwhelmingly demanded Housing Minister Sam O’Connor and the LNP to fast-track more social housing projects as nearly 1800 people remain on waitlists. Our public dwelling health check here.

Toowoomba residents have overwhelming urged the state government to fast-track more public and social housing, saying recently-launched projects barely put a dent in the wait lists.

News that the Salvation Army had completed a 23-unit social housing development in the Toowoomba CBD this month was met warmly by many locals, with a number of other projects already in the pipeline.

Nearly 1800 people currently sit on the social housing waitlist in the Toowoomba region, with some waiting months or even years for stable accommodation.

A non-scientific poll conducted by The Chronicle of more than 900 respondents found more than 92 per cent of readers wanted more social and public housing built in Toowoomba.

Several residents said new projects should help to integrate tenants with their comments, urging a focus on spaces for families to prevent anti-social behaviour.

The push for new public and social housing has been heard by the state government, with Housing Minister Sam O’Connor saying the LNP had streamlined the procurement process for charities and other organisations to get approved for new developments.

Housing Minister Sam O'Connor speaking at the opening of The Salvation Army's 23-unit social housing project on Snell Street in Toowoomba City, Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“The announcement last week around Q-CHIP, which is the clear pipeline that we are now putting in place, is in fact a nation-leading pipeline – there’s no other jurisdiction in the nation that has an always-open procurement process for community housing,” he said at the launch of the Salvos’ Snell St project on September 9.

“There was an average of just 509 new social homes delivered every year under the former government (and) our objective in this term is to get that to over 2000 homes delivered a year.”

The government has also allocated more than $11m in the latest budget towards building or upgrading social housing across Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.

What’s in the pipeline

Ruthven Street development by St Vincent de Paul’s.

Another 350 new social and affordable dwellings are now in the pipeline, which could help shift hundreds of people off the public housing registry.

St Vincent de Paul’s, Mission Australia and BHC are all either under construction or about to start work on four projects across Toowoomba.

St Vinnies has already broken ground on its Newtown project, which will add 27 units along Tor Street.

Vinnies Queensland acting CEO Joe Duskovic (left) and Toowoomba Diocesan Member Brian Mahoney, as Vinnies Housing social and affordable housing is under construction in Newtown by Hutchinson Builders as part of the 500 Homes Project, Thursday, September 4, 2025. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The charity also announced in July it had reached an agreement with the Queensland government to build 60 social and affordable homes and a new family services hub along Ruthven Street in South Toowoomba.

Mission Australia is also well under way with its 185-unit project near Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre in Newtown, despite its controversial beginnings.

Concept art of Mission Australia's upcoming 185-unit social and affordable housing complex on Princess Street in Newtown.

Brisbane developer BHC is also reportedly about to get started on a 75-unit development along Station St in the CBD, of which two-thirds will be either social or rent-reduced housing.

What you said:

URGENT NEED FOR MORE HOUSING

David Phillips

People have to have some place to call home. Many people can’t afford the high rents these days either, so I think it’s essential to build more social housing accommodation.

Ray-Anne Lawson

Have a look at how many one beds are available for rent AND are at a rate someone on a single income can afford, then answer your own question again. The reason I bought the car I did is because I can turn it into a bedroom on wheels.

Lynette Goslan

If there are still people without a home yes the answer is obvious.

Clayton Rogers

1800 on waiting list and probable double that requiring housing. This is the product of multiple years of incompetence, restrictive processes, Argumentative interpretation of land availability, and draconian conditions. The PIA has not been adjusted in nearly 20 years. What’s the definition of stupid “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”.

Katrina Cox

Yes we do need more social housing. Toowoomba is going through a big rise in people experiencing homelessness if you walk around the streets you can see people families living rough some in parks, tents, cars scared to reach out just encase they lose their children, plus the stigma the looks and the comments.

ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS

Anita Sykes

Let’s see how many will go to the true Australians that need housing than the ones who have moved here from overseas.

Eric Grebenshikoff

Yes only for Australia born families.

Geoff Auld

Heavily reduce or stop migration until we get our housing, health, education and social security systems built up to service our country population and future proof it for a growing population. What we are doing now isn’t working so fix it now before it gets worse.

Chris Xross

Everywhere needs housing, not just Toowoomba. Send back the migrants/foreigners, and Australia will have plenty of housing spare for aussies.

CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY, DESIGN

Ruthie Adams

Social housing needs to be spread out across different suburbs so ppl are integrated normally into the community.

Jane Russell

Make it alcohol free and resident drug testing so its actually a nice safe environment for the good tenants. Not somewhere full of addicts, break and enters and violence unsafe for kids or where they may be influenced. Apparently several projects in Brisbane with good intentions went this way so screening should be essential as it should be child safe where they can flourish.

Kym Hall McGowan

Yes, but we don’t want high rise, high crime slum areas. It’s a necessity to build more public housing, but need it done correctly.

Jen Fitch

Need more but not pile on one blocked. Few house for families that can’t fit in a unit block. I rather space and not pile on a block with 20 or 40 dysfunctional people. No thanks.

Julianne Dickinson

Building blocks of units like these is only going to create problems people living on top of each other. In America it’s called ghettos. It would have been better to buy up houses in all neighbourhoods in Toowoomba and rented them as affordable houses to people single couples, families. There no yard only 1 or two bedrooms that’s no good for anyone.