Social housing Qld: 429 households receiving assistance exceeding the $80,000 income limit

New figures revealed today will “break the hearts” of anyone who has been forced on to a waiting list to secure social housing in Queensland.

Hundreds of Queensland households are receiving social housing assistance from the state despite earning more than the $80,000 a year income limit.

As of January 31 this year, there were 429 social housing households in Queensland where the tenants had a gross assessable income of $80,000 a year or more.

The figures represent about one in every 125 social housing tenancies that are managed by the state’s Housing Department.

429 social housing households in Queensland have a gross assessable income of $80,000 a year or more.

It comes at a time when there are about 28,000 applications in Queensland for social housing, including 20,408 that are considered to be of “very high” need – according to the latest figures released last year.

Social housing tenants are no longer deemed eligible to receive ongoing assistance if the combined gross assessable income for all tenants and their partners exceeds $80,000 per year.

A Housing Department spokeswoman said that when a household’s assessable income reached $80,000 or greater, the department reviewed the household’s “circumstances”.

She suggested this was done to assess whether the tenants had an ongoing need for social housing, and to look at the tenants’ ability to access and sustain private market tenancies and independent living.

“All public housing tenants are required to notify the department within 28 days of changes to their household’s income, or when people move in or out of the home,” the spokeswoman said.

“We continue to review our policies and practices to reflect changes in housing needs in the community, for customers, and as part of our broader commitment to providing services to Queenslanders in need.”

LNP housing spokesman Tim Mander seized on the figures, saying it would break the hearts of those waiting for a property on the social housing register.

LNP housing spokesman Tim Mander. Picture: Shae Beplate.

The 27,933 applications on the social housing register as of June 30 last year was up 8 per cent from the 25,853 that were on the register 12 months earlier.

Meanwhile, Treasurer Cameron Dick on Monday turned the sod on the second project being built under the government’s Built-To-Rent program.

The complex at Fortitude Valley will feature 366 apartments which will be available only to renters, including 145 where the rent will be discounted due to government subsidies.

Originally published as Social housing Qld: 429 households receiving assistance exceeding the $80,000 income limit