But ahead of Thursday’s summit to hash out short- and long-term solutions to the state’s housing crunch,social service and housing groups urged the government to lift its commitment to 5000 homes each year.
Record-highrental shortages,interstate migration, high property prices,climbing inflation,andan audit office report that excoriated the government’s handling of social housing havedriven the government intorecent action.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told the gathering of more than 200 people from across the political,government,social service and property sectors that the state had been hit by “housing’s perfect storm”.
“Doubling the size of that fund means we now have $130 million each year to create new housing stock where it is needed most,” Palaszczuk said. This would also help cover increased building costs putting pressure on construction.
Palaszczuk also pointed to measures already announced after the40-person housing roundtable last month – opening up the ability to rent out granny flats,and a review of how Airbnb-style rentalsmay be playing a role.
In a nod to one West End-based real estate agency that recently told landlords to raise rents by more than 20 per cent,Palaszczuk said such behaviour was “not on”.