Article: New development to ease housing crisis

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New development to ease housing crisis

New development to ease housing crisis
TONY MOORE
April 14, 2010 - 5:24AM

A new $22 million development in Fortitude Valley is has been predicted to help ease Brisbane's housing affordability crisis.

The landmark housing affordability project, with more than 80 inner-city units, will be officially launched by Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek and Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman today.

The development, opposite the Valley Pool between Church and East Streets, will be the second affordable unit project in Fortitude Valley from the Brisbane Housing Company in the past four months.

BHC chief executive David Cant said the new development had been planned for five years.

"This is a landmark mark development for the city of Brisbane," he said.

"This project exemplifies many of the key features of the [Brisbane Housing] Company - a commitment to good design, an innovative approach coupled with a strong commercial understanding and the delivery of a mixed use building that fits well with the local planning scheme."

The project is backed by the BHC and the Lord Mayor's Community Trust, with the majority of money provided by the Federal Government.

The 10-storey building will have 83 units on the top eight storeys, with Red Cross training and education facilities on the first two storeys.

The low-cost units, including some one bedroom and studio apartments, is expected to be completed early next year.

Ms Plibersek said the project would house the Australian Red Cross's Brisbane Centre for Young People, an important initiative for the inner-city accommodation project.

Red Cross group manager Matthew Cox said the support of a private property syndicate, the Investors Group, had helped bring the project to the table.

"We've had extraordinary support from our two principal philanthropic backers in this project and that's allowed us to develop a range of programs that we can bundle with the great quality accommodation the Brisbane Housing Company is providing," Mr Cox said.

"Our focus is working with marginalised young people, including those who have experienced homelessness, to provide not just a roof over their head, but the support they need for a better future."

As of the 2006 Census, there were 2,070 homeless people in Brisbane's CBD and Fortitude Valley, part of 20,000 across the state.

Of those, more than 350 were sleeping rough on Brisbane's streets.

The remaining 1800 in Brisbane found temporary refuge in emergency accommodation or boarding houses.

Ms Plibersek said the Federal Government planned to provide 80,000 new affordable homes across Australia by 2012, and to halve homelessness in Australia by 2020.

On April 1, a number of welfare agencies formed a consortium called "Under 1 Roof" to tackle housing, homelessness and community referrals.

The charities involved include 139 Club in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane Youth Service, CityCare Brisbane, Mission Australia, New Farm Neighbourhood Centre and the Rotary Club.

In December 2009, Brisbane Housing Company launched a similar $18.5 million project at nearby Constance Street to build 80 units, to tackle the rising cost of rent in inner-city Brisbane.