A SERIES of grassroots petitions have gained thousands of signatures IN the midst of a growing housing crisis, a Hinterland led grassroots campaign advocating to lift tiny home limitations and change local planning laws has seen a surge of interest with petitions lodged at both local and state level rapidly gaining traction.
These petitions come in the wake of the Sunshine Coast Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2023 endorsed at Council’s Ordinary meeting on July 27, which saw a packed gallery of community group representatives, residents and housing activists in attendance.
Tiny community living campaigner Helen Andrew, supported by the Maleny Housing Working Group has launched a state wide petition that calls for immediate recognition that temporary dwellings are becoming permanent homes for residents throughout Queensland due to the housing crisis.
The petition also calls for a change in planning laws across Queensland to allow rural landowners to host several tiny housing types on private land. Seeking to legitimise tiny homes on wheels, busses, and caravans as permanent housing options, and with nearly 5,000 signatures to date calling for action lodged in a current E-petition with State Parliament, local affordable housing advocates are pleased a groundswell of support has resulted in a Sunshine Coast Council Petition having 11 lead petitioners submit over 750 names calling for temporary dwelling law change to local Councillors at the July 27 meeting.
Helen Andrew acknowledged that while these were not the only solutions to what was a deeply complex, challenging and multi-faceted issue around housing accessibility and affordability, these calls to support tiny community living sought to provide an urgent response to what many in the community were experiencing now.
“We need housing action now, we want to see the ceasing of eviction of people on land where they are living in caravans, buses, and tiny houses etc, and recognise in the new town plan that these living situations that used to be considered temporary are now increasingly permanent with the housing crisis. We also want to see rural landowners allowed to host several small dwellings on their properties so they can help provide an immediate solution to the housing crisis,” Helen explained.
Helen said she was pleased Sunshine Coast Council had released their ‘Housing and Homelessness Action Plan’ which acknowledged the significant housing affordability challenges and increased levels of homelessness in the region, and outlined five key activities (delivery, facilitation, advocacy, capacity, and knowledge building) to improve the housing response at a local level.
However, she questioned why no substantial community engagement had been undertaken during the preparation of the plan.
“I understand that Council heavily referred to their regional strategies and corporate plan which involved significant community engagement, but this is the most important issue facing our Sunshine Coast community right now, and so I feel the community should have had some ability during the process to make comment,” Helen said
Helen said housing affordability and accessibility was an interlinked issue between state and local governments, and it was critical that the community advocated to both levels of government.
She said she was optimistic and excited that change was possible.
“I feel like we are making positive progress and this motivates us to continue to create conversations within our communities,” she said.
“It has been amazing to watch awareness and interest grow and to have people step up and show their support- we have had an enormous response already to our petitions.”
To find out more about the tiny community living campaign head to www.regensunshinecoast.au or reach out to the Maleny Housing Working Group at
housing@malenync.org.au or support the petition at
https://cutt.ly/SwaNWUnP