CALLS for social housing investment have intensified after shocking Australian Bureau of Statistics figures reveal homelessness in Logan is rising.
The latest census data shows there are 179 more people living in Logan without a roof over their heads in 2016 compared to five years earlier.
Significant rises were also recorded in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Moreton Bay, with more than 2500 more homeless people in Queensland than five years ago.
St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland CEO Peter Maher said rising homelessness was a damning indictment for any wealthy country.
“It’s appalling that as we get wealthier as a nation, we can’t provide people with food and shelter in the 21st century,” Mr Maher said.
“As Australians we should be pretty embarrassed and asking what is the government doing about it?”
Mr Maher said regulations were needed to guarantee genuine progress to tackle the issue.
“I think regulations need to be put in place that require developers to help provide solutions to the homeless issue,” he said.
Though the Federal government allocated $9 billion to state governments under the National Affordable Housing Agreement, social housing growth stagnated between 2009 and 2016 and three out of four benchmarks were not met.
Forde MP Bert van Manen said while social housing was a state issue, the federal government had provided funds for various projects.
“To address these benchmark shortfalls, the Turnbull Coalition government will establish a new national agreement, with the requirement for concrete outcomes to build more homes and ensure improved housing outcomes across the housing spectrum,” he said.
“It will include specific funding for homelessness and provide greater certainty to providers of front line homelessness services, including many of the hard working services in my electorate of Forde.”
Mr Maher said it was important to have a two-pronged strategy to ensure people secure affordable housing and remain stable in the long term.
“We can’t just put people into housing and then forget about them,” he said.
“We have to work with people to sustain their tenancies and I think more planning and funding needs to go into that.”
Mr van Manen said $5.7 million was available for services to target homless youth and those at risk of homelessness.
“Reconnect services help stabilise the lives of vulnerable young people by keeping them connected with their families, communities and education or employment opportunities,” he said.
“I encourage anyone who knows someone in a vulnerable housing situation to use the service.”
Vinnies Queensland provides $2 million to support affordable housing across Queensland and raises funds through initiatives such as the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout.
