Eligible employees in industries such as health, aged care, social assistance, retail and hospitality are being offered a sizeable discount on the rental of new homes in a bid by the Sunshine Coast Council to stop the haemorrhage of key workers from the Coast.
A new affordable housing project at Marcoola, comprising 22 modular homes located on 11 council properties, is aimed at retaining low-income key workers on the Coast whose skills benefit the community and local economy.
The new homes will be rented at 75 per cent of the market rate to eligible low-income individuals, couples and families.
The project includes four three-bedroom homes, seven two-bedroom homes and 11 one-bedroom homes that feature decks and outdoor areas.
The first eight homes were unveiled on June 17 with the remainder to become available in coming months.
The council-led affordable housing initiative, with the support of the state government, is a first for the region.
Mayor Rosanna Natoli said it would help support workers and their families by securing affordable, safe and comfortable rentals.
“As we know, the property crunch being experienced across the nation, especially in popular places like the Sunshine Coast, means many low-income workers are being forced to move away,” Cr Natoli said.
“We are talking about those workers who contribute to a range of health, aged care, social assistance, retail and hospitality sectors and are so valuable to our community and local economy.
“There is more work to be done to retain our key workers, but this project shows the way.”
The project is being managed by Coast2Bay Housing Group, a community housing provider.
Coast2Bay CEO Andrew Elvin said the homes would be offered at 74.9 per cent of market rent, making it a genuinely affordable solution.
The community housing provider had already received more than 200 applications for the Marcoola homes, demonstrating the desperate need for more affordable rental housing in the region.
“By utilising vacant land and a modular prefabrication approach, these homes have been delivered in a shorter timeframe compared to traditional construction methods. Ultimately, this provides more rapid outcomes for those in need of affordable homes,” Mr Elvin said.
Queensland Minister for Housing and Public Works Sam O’Connor said the project was a great example of what could be achieved through collaboration.
“Through our Securing Our Housing Foundations Plan, we’re delivering more affordable homes where they’re needed most,” he said.
The Queensland Government is delivering a range of initiatives to support social and affordable housing, including through the $2 billion Housing Investment Fund.
Coast2Bay Housing Group is working with all levels of government to try to bring forward more affordable housing supply urgently.
The council has successfully secured agreements with the state government’s Housing Investment Fund and is exploring further opportunities with the federal government’s National Housing Accord.
These efforts aim to maximise the delivery of affordable housing through innovative funding and delivery models.
