Charity sector and government join forces to build social housing solutions

A sod turning ceremony will be held at Nerang on the Gold Coast to mark the start of Vinnies Queensland’s 500 Homes project.

The joint initiative with the Queensland government aims to build 562 homes to provide vulnerable Queenslanders with access to secure housing and support services to help break the cycle of homelessness.

There are an estimated 47,000 Queenslanders on the state’s social housing waiting list.

Advocates of the 500 Homes project hope it will set a new benchmark for how governments and community organisations can work together to solve homelessness through long-term, sustainable solutions.

The Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works, Sam O’Connor was scheduled to join Vinnies Queensland CEO Kevin Mercer and Vinnies Housing CEO, Sharon Shearsmith for Thursday's symbolic project kick-off.

The Vinnies initiative comes as a Mission Australia housing project to provide 185 units for social and affordable housing is underway in the Queensland city of Toowoomba.

The project will include four apartment buildings of up to six-stories comprising 89 social housing dwellings and 96 affordable homes.

Mission Australia housing executive Chris Bratchford said the development would provide much-needed homes in Queensland. 

“The social and affordable homes that will be built here will provide members of the community in need with a safe and stable place to sleep at night and the support they need to thrive,” he said. 

"These homes, once constructed, will be accessible for older people and people and families on lower incomes or who are at risk of homelessness.  

"We are pleased to be able to continue our partnership with the Queensland Government to provide housing opportunities that will assist people to access and experience safe, supported and secure housing.” 

Minister O’Connor said partnerships with registered community housing providers, such as Mission Australia, were crucial to delivering more homes, faster, for people in need.

“Right now, we are working with more than 30 community housing providers and their partners, including councils, specialist homelessness services and key support services to deliver thousands of social and affordable homes across the state,” O’Connor said.

“There’s a lot more capacity to unlock, so we’re reforming our housing delivery model to empower this sector.”

Tackling the nation’s housing and rental affordability crisis was high up on the election wish lists of sector organisations such as Mission Australia, Anglicare, Homelessness Australia and St Vincent de Paul.

ACOSS called for a bolder national strategy to tackle the housing crisis, including reform of tax settings that currently fuel speculative property investment.

“Instead of tinkering with people’s tax returns, we need proper tax reform that includes curbing negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions that drive up home prices and inequality,” it said in a statement.

“We must urgently scale up social and affordable rental housing, so that everyone, no matter their income, has access to a safe, secure, and affordable home.”

Mission Australia CEO Sharon Callister urged all political parties to prioritise investment in safe, affordable housing, and specifically to:

• significantly boost the number of social and affordable homes to 10 per cent of all housing stock to meet the need in the community

• mandate the provision of a portion of affordable homes in all new large-scale apartment developments across Australia

• create a $500 million Homelessness Prevention Transformation Fund to help end homelessness.

“Our homelessness services have seen a 19 per cent increase in demand in the past year, and our staff are facing unprecedented challenges securing accommodation due to a shortage of housing that’s affordable for the people we serve,” said Callister.

“Preventative measures and early intervention benefit not only people in need but are also the most cost effective and responsible approach.”

More information

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