The Sunshine Coast mayor has called on members of the community to help find short-term solutions to the region’s homelessness woes.
Rosanna Natoli urged local groups and residents to suggest ideas that could immediately help alleviate the increasing number of people sleeping rough.
“No idea is too far out of the box,” she said.
“We know that to get people off the street we need a place for them.”
Her plea comes after an urgent forum at Nambour, where homeless numbers have doubled in recent months and residents have expressed safety concerns in public parks.
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Ms Natoli said levels of government were exploring mid- to long-term options, including supportive housing, but a more immediate fix was required.
A group has been formed to “look at sites where the rough sleepers can be temporarily based”.
“We’re also looking at working with different church groups or community groups,” she said.
“We need to look at different ways of really breaking this down and I’m calling on members of our community who think that they might have an option or an idea, please reach out.
“A community group might be able to house just four or five people, for example.”
Ms Natoli acknowledged that many Nambour locals felt unsafe walking the streets and using parks, which are managed by council.
“That is something that needs to be addressed,” she said.
“People sleeping rough need to feel safe and so do our residents.
“That’s what we’re hearing now: that people aren’t feeling safe. People with children can’t go to the parks or people walking down the street aren’t feeling safe.”
Nicklin MP Marty Hunt said finding immediate solutions was “challenging”.
“Addressing homelessness requires a balance between responding to urgent needs and tackling the root causes,” he said.
“There are many obstacles: engaging with those who are reluctant to accept help, and the reality that building new social housing takes time.
“But with the record investment now underway, and stronger collaboration across state and local governments, I do believe we are moving in the right direction.”
Mr Hunt said 52 new social and affordable homes were under construction on the Sunshine Coast and 25 homes were contracted for delivery in the Nicklin electorate. He also said $3 million had been secured for the Nambour CBD Police Beat and upgraded CCTV.
