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Two of the state’s regional hubs will receive urgently needed additional accommodations thanks to two new initiatives.
Announced last week by the Palaszczuk government, the two new projects form part of a $14 million investment scheme in social housing announced by the Queensland government prior to Easter.
The first is the completion of a new social housing project in Townsville, on the state’s far north, capable of housing 16 families in the town, while the second comprises a tiny home installation in Gympie.
Delivery of the first phase of the 32-large Townsville social housing project was successfully conducted through a partnership between the state government and Yumba-Meta, with the final 16 builds of the scheme to be constructed later this year.
State Minister for Communities and Housing, Leeanne Enoch, promised the Townsville project is just the start of the government’s plans to “house more vulnerable Queenslanders sooner,” as she promised more similar projects are imminent.
The project has delivered seven three-bedroom homes in Condon, Currajong, and Heatley, in addition to nine two-bedroom homes in Vincent, Kirwan, Mount Louisa, Heatley, and Wulguru, while future construction will focus on two developments in the suburb of Rasmussen, including 12 one-bedroom homes and two duplexes.
Member for Thuringowa, Aaron Harper, declared the newly constructed homes will “make a massive difference to the lives of the families involved.”
“Through our QuickStarts Queensland program, we will commence 237 new social homes in North Queensland, including Townsville, by 2025,” he added, with said projects representing a $74.2 million investment set to support more than 235 full-time equivalent jobs.
“The Palaszczuk government will continue to invest in more social and affordable housing in Townsville to help address local housing pressures,” he insisted.
Moreover, in Gympie, just north of Brisbane, the state government announced the delivery of eight new tiny homes as emergency housing to assist in easing the region’s housing pressures.
The homes are set for installation in the second half of 2023 at the Gympie Recovery Accommodation Park (GRAP), which was initially established to provide short-to-medium-term accommodation following last year’s devastating flooding.
Ms Enoch explained tiny homes are “an innovative way to get a roof over people’s heads”, especially in regions boasting extremely tight vacancy rates, which include most Queensland regions such as Gympie.
She declared the “new housing stock being delivered to Gympie will help to address the urgent need for more accommodation in the region.”
Acknowledging the turmoil of tenants within the state, she added that introducing more stock onto the market is key to “addressing this challenge.”
Both projects add to the 4,000 new homes introduced across the state since 2015–16 as part of its record $3.9 billion investment in social and affordable housing.
Ms Enoch concluded the Palaszczuk government is “on track to commence 13,000 new social and affordable housing dwellings across the state by 2027.”
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