- Miles Government, council partner to deliver 22 affordable homes on 11 sites
- Modular homes for low-income key worker singles, couples and small families
- Funding through $2 billion Housing Investment Fund for council to build
- Part of Miles Government's Homes for Queenslanders plan to build one million more homes
The Miles Government and Sunshine Coast Council have partnered to build 22 new affordable homes on the coast.
Supported by the government's Housing Investment Fund, construction will start later this year on the homes which will built across 11 sites in Marcoola.
The project will include self-contained one, two and three-bedroom modular homes to cater for low-income singles, couples and small family households, with a focus on key workers.
The modular homes will be factory-built and will include private decks and outdoor areas.
The Miles Government's Housing Investment Fund has already secured dozens of homes on the Sunshine Coast which were due to exit the National Rental Affordability Scheme.
The collaboration with council is part of the state's Homes for Queenslanders plan to deliver one million more homes.
As stated by Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon:
"To build more homes, faster we're partnering with community housing providers and utilising both our public builder QBuild and Queensland businesses to deliver hundreds more modular homes.
"They take less time to build than conventional construction, and because they're built inside a factory, aren't hampered by weather delays during construction.
"That's why our Homes for Queenslanders plan is pulling every lever possible, whether that's supporting community housing projects through our Housing Investment Fund, buying former retirement villages, accommodation parks and hotels, or rolling out more modular homes."
As stated by Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli:
"This achievement was made possible through our collaboration with the Queensland Government. It's a great example of how working together can make our community even stronger!"
"Sunshine Coast Council is so pleased to see this project come to fruition after more than two years of work, from identifying the land, working on the concept and applying for funding.
"This project demonstrates our ongoing commitment to facilitating affordable and diverse housing options for our community.
"Access to affordable housing creates the foundations for our community members to build stable and productive lives. It is also critical to attract the skills we need on the Sunshine Coast to continue to prosper."
As stated by Coast2Bay Housing Group CEO Andrew Elvin:
"Coast2Bay Housing Group CEO, Andrew Elvin says "We're excited by the prospect of managing 22 new homes on the Sunshine Coast in partnership with Sunshine Coast Council and the State Government. Affordable housing options on the Sunshine Coast are desperately needed, particularly for our key workers, as the area continues to experience unprecedented growth.
Coast2Bay Housing Group is the largest community housing provider in this region, and we look forward to supporting the new tenants to thrive in the community.
We applaud the Sunshine Coast Council for seeking innovative approaches to housing. By utilising vacant land and a modular prefabrication approach, the homes can be delivered in a shorter time frame compared to traditional construction methods. Ultimately, this provides more rapid outcomes for those in need of affordable homes."
As stated by Sunshine Coast Council Divisional Councillor Taylor Bunnag:
"Council recognises the housing crisis is a situation that is difficult to quickly rectify and the provision of 22 households in beautiful Marcoola, although small in number, is a significant commitment by Council in moving towards addressing this issue.
"Without this investment, key workers who are critical to our economy and work in a range of health, social assistance, retail and hospitality sectors, will increasingly find it difficult to secure housing.
"With significant growth in these industries forecasted, the need for more affordable housing for this workforce is necessary to keep locals on the Sunshine Coast."
