THE SOD was turned on a new social housing development in Booval as the waitlist in Queensland blew out to more than two years.
The development will consist of 43 new homes, as the number of people on Queensland’s social housing waitlist surged to 45,473 in March this year.
A staggering 12,749 applications on the waitlist included persons that are flagged as homeless or at risk of being homeless, with a further 7,269 unable to be contacted when housing becomes available.
The development is part of the State Government’s Homes for Queenslanders plan to build one million more homes, including 53,500 social homes.
The development is a partnership with community housing provider Community Housing Limited set to deliver the new homes, investing $31.21 million to build the new complex which will support around 56 full-time equivalent construction jobs.
The social homes add to the over 1,000 social homes currently under construction across the state.
Co-Founder of Helen’s Haven Helen Youngberry said the demand for social housing in Ipswich was growing and the announced development was a step in the right direction.
“We are a low-income region and have rental prices growing like Brisbane, the impact from Covid, cost of living and inflation has displaced so many people,” she said.
“A lot of families have both parents working and still cannot get ahead.
“Not to mention the great influx of refugees and migration also which have effects on the rental market and availability in the area.”
Local Member for Ipswich Jennifer Howard said the new project will be a fantastic addition to the Booval community, providing safe and secure homes and easing pressure slightly on the social housing waitlist in the local region.
“Something of even greater value I’ve noticed over time is projects such as this often provide people with an opportunity to rebuild their lives and become part of a community, and that’s a great thing,” she said.
“These homes not only mean more social homes for people who need them, but the project is providing employment opportunities for our workforce and a boost to the local economy.”
