New figures are expected to show the impact of the region’s housing crisis, amid fears many more people are sleeping rough.
More than 1200 Sunshine Coast residents were experiencing homelessness the last time the Australian Census was held in 2021.
After five years of housing and rental strain, the 2026 Census on August 11 is set to reveal the full impact across the region.
St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland Sunshine Coast president Peter Ryan said he expected the results to show a significant increase in the number of locals sleeping rough.
“We supported more than 40,000 people across the Sunshine Coast in the last financial year and the majority of the people who asked for help were either homeless, facing homelessness or struggling to afford their rent,” he said.
“On an average week, we’ll hear from more than 30 locals sleeping rough.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in people sleeping in their cars or vans. It’s less obvious than people sleeping in tents, but you can see the increase if you know what you’re looking for.
“It’s not uncommon to hear from people spending 80 per cent or more of their income on rent, just to avoid becoming homeless.”
St Vincent de Paul Society stated that, since the 2021 Census, median rent costs on the Coast have increased by 8 to 9 percent on average each year and that the average unit renter is paying $200 a week more now than they were in 2021.
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Chief executive officer Joe Duskovic said St Vincent de Paul Queensland had seen an unprecedented demand for housing support since the last Census.
“In 2021, more than 23,000 Queenslanders were counted as experiencing homelessness,” he said.
“We expect the number to have grown significantly since then.
“While we might be in for some alarming news once the results are released, we should use this opportunity to reinforce the urgency of taking action to help more Queenslanders find a safe place to call home.
“Homelessness is not this unsolvable issue that we can’t do anything about: we can do something about it and we know that investment pays off.”.
Already we’ve seen the state government announce record investments into social housing, with 53,500 social homes to be built by 2044: enough for a home for every 31,000-plus households currently on the social housing register.
“But building homes is just one step: better access to support services is also a vital part of the process.”
The 2026 Sunshine Coast Vinnies CEO Sleepout in June saw local business and community leaders spend a night sleeping out at Maroochydore Beach to raise a record $240,000 to go towards local homelessness support.
The state government in April unveiled a suite of initiatives to address homelessness in one Sunshine Coast town, after local businesses and residents expressed concerns about safety and homelessness in the town, which led to a pledge from officials and an appeal for solutions from the Sunshine Coast mayor.
All Sunshine Coast residents, including those sleeping rough, are expected to take part in the Census, held just a few days after National Homelessness Week.
The 2026 Census results will be released to the public in stages in 2027 and 2028.
