THE Sunshine Coast Council has announced its Sunshine Coast Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2023, in today’s ordinary meeting, detailing five key activities to improve the housing crisis at a local level.
The action plan was endorsed unanimously, and the key activities of focus were delivery, facilitation, advocacy, building capacity and building our knowledge.
From these key activities comes the priorities council wants to focus on in the action plan, which isn’t expected to be an official strategy until the end of 2024.
Priorities include utilizing Council land and/or buildings as affordable residential housing, discounting fees and concessions for community organisations and supporting community led initiatives.
It also includes facilitating the efforts of the State Government and community housing providers to deliver social and affordable housing projects, which Mayor Mark Jamieson recognizes is a big problem for the Sunshine Coast.
“The Sunshine Coast Housing and Homelessness Action Plan 2023 will help build on our existing commitments and provide support for our community,” he said.
“All tiers of government – local, state and federal – as well as the private sector, including relevant industry associations and peak bodies, and community housing organisations need a plan to work together to effectively address the current situation.
“The plan outlines new initiatives directed at achieving a more secure housing future for our community and sets out how Council can contribute to more diverse, affordable living outcomes and reduce the impacts and risk of homelessness in our region.”
According to ABS Census data, there has been a 54 per cent increase of estimated homelessness on the Sunshine Coast, which can be caused by a lack of social and affordable housing, a lack of rental vacancy, along with negative health impacts, and financial stressors.
Tiny homes was also a topic of conversation among Councillors at the ordinary meeting while discussing the housing action plan, with Division 5 Councillor Winston Johnston encouraging people to not shy away from living in tiny homes.
“What that really means is that there is a lot of capacity out there for people who own private land properties to help solve this problem [by having multiple dwellings on one property],” he said.
“In the mean time, there’s a lot of people that need accommodation now, and there’s a general belief and a lack of knowledge that we don’t allow tiny homes but that’s not true.”
The Housing and Homelessness Action Plan was the first item on the council’s meeting agenda, with a full gallery of concerned community members watching on.