Holistic approach needed to improve housing outcomes for Moreton Bay
Published 07 December 2023
City of Moreton Bay is exploring every option to help combat the effects of the national housing crisis in the region.
Taking a holistic approach and working closely with community organisations and other levels of government has helped Council foster partnerships and create innovative projects that will improve outcomes for people experiencing housing issues and homelessness in Moreton Bay.
Mayor Peter Flannery said Council’s Housing and Homelessness Action Plan (HHAP) outlines key activities City of Moreton Bay is undertaking, current or planned, to tackle growing issues surrounding housing affordability and homelessness, including pioneering initiatives for councils across Australia.
“Over the last decade, homelessness in City of Moreton Bay has increased by more than 90%, and this includes rising numbers of people with no option but to sleep rough in public spaces,” he said.
“Given the current housing crisis and our rapidly growing city, continued growth in homelessness is expected.
“We know that this is a tough situation and Council is seeking to take a balanced approach to maintaining amenity for all, while compassionately responding to people sleeping rough.
“Acknowledging our position as the third largest local government in Australia, Council has been active in helping achieve better housing outcomes for our residents.
“Our new Housing and Homelessness Action Plan builds on Council’s existing initiatives and guides our responses to homelessness and housing insecurity over the next five years. It reflects our identity as a fast-growing city committed to wellbeing.
“The complex nature of homelessness in society today means we need to think outside the box, working to amplify community and government responses and, where appropriate, implement Council-led responses.
“City of Moreton Bay recognises that its numerous touchpoints with communities, service providers, and government departments provides it with unique capacity to support and facilitate initiatives that address homelessness.
“But we can’t do this on our own. We need all levels of government working together if we are going to get on top of this.”
Our five-year plan highlights four priorities for action:
- supports for people sleeping rough
- well-managed public spaces
- stronger partnerships
- diverse housing options.
"We’ve contributed $3.36 million towards construction of the new Moreton Bay Housing and Homelessness Hub in Redcliffe to help provide vital services where we’re seeing the greatest need”, Mayor Flannery said.
“And we welcomed $3 million from the State Government's SEQ Community Stimulus Program (CSP) to bring this to fruition.
“Ground will be broken on this project in December with construction expected to be completed mid-2024.
“We’re also offering parcels of Council land, one in Morayfield and another in Caboolture, for potential activation as social, affordable or crisis housing.
“Changing City of Moreton Bay’s Community Leasing Policy means we can lease council-owned land for community housing that can put a roof over the heads of locals doing it tough.
"We launched our new Attraction of Affordable Social Housing Development Policy in March 2023, with developers already taking up Council’s offer to waive fees on the building of social and affordable housing.
"Tenants are now moving in to 18 new, one-bedroom apartments in Portwood Street, Redcliffe where we waived $220,000 of development fees.
“And more than 80 new accessible social and affordable homes for older residents will be built, with construction due to start soon on the Peninsula thanks to this initiative.
“The Housing and Homelessness Action Plan brings our thinking and creative solutions for combatting homelessness together in one place to help us make a real difference for those people experiencing homelessness in our city.”
Read City of Moreton Bay’s Housing and Homelessness Action Plan here: https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Community-Support/Housing-AndHomelessness
To notify City of Moreton Bay of somebody sleeping rough on Council land see: www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Community-Support/Housing-And-Homelessness