12:00a.m. 17th September 2008

Morrie Evans has appealed for help to fix the Coast's housing shortage. Photo: Chris McCormack/ 178227

The not-for-profit Sunshine Coast Regional Housing Council has called on developers, builders, investors, the regional council and state government to support its push to add up to 1000 additional dwellings into the affordable housing rental pool on the Coast over the next five years.

With more than 3000 people waiting for public housing, and countless thousands more paying more than $300-a-week in rent because they don’t have the estimated $100,000-a-year household income needed to purchase a median-priced house, affordable housing has become one of the region’s biggest issues.

Formed in 1991, the Nambour-based SCRHC has 234 properties under management from Currimundi to Tewantin, mostly being tenanted by people with special needs.

But the organisation, which is about to become a not-for-profit company and change its name to Sunshine Coast Housing Company Ltd, is determined to access some of the federal government’s National Rental Affordability Scheme funding which hopes to add 50,000 additional dwellings to the country’s rental pool over the next five years.

Speaking to developers and builders at an Urban Development Institute breakfast at Maroochydore on Thursday, SCRHC general manager Morrie Evans appealed for help to try to secure funding for as many as 1000 of those dwellings.

The problem is, submissions need to be in for the next round of funding by January, and for the final round by June next year.

“Ideally, the Sunshine Coast’s pro rata share of those 50,000 dwellings would be about 1000. But we’ve set a minimum target of 200 for the next round, and 500 for the final round of submissions,” Mr Evans said.

“It’s a big challenge, but I’d hate to look back in 18 months and regret the fact we didn’t get anything out of the NRAS opportunity.”

Under the scheme, annual incentives of up to $8000 per property are available from governments for 10 years for the construction of new dwellings, and investors receive market rent for the properties, with a maximum of 80% paid by the tenant and 20% by way of government incentives.

Mr Evans said the funding scheme applied to new properties and also those not previously used for accommodation, and included houses and units.

He said SCHRC was interested in partnering with developers, builders and investors to identify projects that could qualify for the funding.

“Everybody I’ve spoken to is keen to get involved, but we need co-operation from council, from the state government, from the industry and the community,” Mr Evans said.

“The Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s Affordable Housing Task Force meets for the first time this week and I’ve got high hopes it will provide some impetus to get some projects through.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about opportunities under the National Rental Affordability Scheme can contact the Sunshine Coast Regional Housing Council on 5451 2900.