2017-04-11 P&E Agenda Attachment 1 to Item 1 Housing Needs Assessment

5.       CONSULTATION

5.1 Consultation Undertaken
One on one consultation was undertaken with 25 individuals or organisations. These were divided
into a number of target areas to gain a cross-section of opinion. These were:

         Groups providing housing for special needs, including social and community housing
          providers, emergency housing providers, and charitable organisations;
         Providers of tourism or visitor accommodation;
         Real estate agents;
         Property developers;
         Aged Accommodation providers.

Discussions were also held with the following Government departments:

         Department of Housing and Public Works;
         Department of Communities, Disability and Child Support;
         Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning; and
         (Australian) Department of Human Services.

Records of consultation have been provided separately to Council. A summary of findings is
provided below.

5.2 Summary of Findings of the Consultation
The key outcomes of the consultation process in each of the target areas are as follows. The
comments or suggestions made have not been vetted or altered, and they cannot be relied on to
be correct. However they reflect the views and beliefs expressed by those consulted.

5.2.1      Housing for Specific Needs Groups
Key Needs in Noosa Shire
Any affordable housing is what is needed in Noosa Shire, particularly for three groups:

         Key workers in the hospitality industry who are often underemployed and not on full-time
          wages;
         Lower income families with children, who often cannot afford to live in the area;
         Older people, especially those who are renting, and suffer among the worst housing stress
          in Noosa Shire.

Other than affordable housing, the other big need is for aged accommodation. One to two
bedroom units are very hard to come by, and there is seen to be a major problem on the horizon
with the projected increase in aged population.

Rental housing in Noosa Shire is not considered affordable for the average family and there is not
a lot of community housing in the Shire. More crisis accommodation and more domestic violence
refuges are also required.

Types of Dwellings/Accommodation Needed
There needs to be a range of affordable housing provided:



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