2021-12-13 GC Agenda - Item 8 -Attachment 1 - Housing Needs Assessment

These groups are likely to contain the key stakeholders for Council to continue to partner with on the
implementation of a Housing Strategy.
17.2.1           Social Services Hub
Council supports the Social Services Hub which operates fortnightly from Tait Duke Cottage and
provides various forms of assistance, services or information for people experiencing homelessness.
Through this it is sometimes possible to connect people with appropriate housing however it has
become increasingly difficult if safe housing remains unavailable.
         The Sunshine Coast Council has published a pocket-sized Housing and Homelessness
         Directory, detailing organisations that are providing services to people at risk of
         homelessness and to people currently experiencing homelessness. The directory aims to
         improve access to information and referrals to community services.
17.2.2           Head leases
Community Housing Providers as well as Queensland Housing are constantly looking for residential
properties to increase their social housing portfolios. Head leasing is where a private rental property
owner leases their property to a community housing provider or the government who then rents the
property to a tenant who meets the criteria for social housing. For the property owner, they have a
guaranteed rental income which is often at or close to market rent, and the risk of damage is usually
carried by the entity who takes out the head lease. The owners do not have to pay for the services
of a property manager, and frequently the entity takes responsibility for general property
maintenance.
Council has the opportunity to proactively work with Community Housing Providers, the local
development industry and the wider community to identify opportunities for the private sector to make
a social contribution. There could be justification for rating variations or discounts where properties
are committed to social housing in this manner.
17.2.3           Discounts on development fees and charges
Development application fees are charged on a cost recovery basis to cover the cost of assessment
of an application, including if necessary engaging specialist consultants to assess aspects of the
application. Council has a policy to waiver development application fees for non-profit community
organisations in recognition of the importance of the community facilities which are provided and
maintained by non-profit organisations for the benefit of the wider community. Any non-profit,
volunteer, charitable, community, sporting, religious organisation not in possession of a permanent
liquor or gaming licence is eligible for a 50% reduction in development application fees upon request.
This would for example cover community housing providers. Further, Council may partially or wholly
waive a development application fee where strict application of the scheduled fee is obviously
unreasonable for the type of application being received. Where fees collected do not cover the cost
of the assessment, this is covered through general rates.
Council charges infrastructure contributions on development to pay for trunk infrastructure such as
stormwater drainage, roads, pathways and public recreation. This is because development
contributes to the demand for such infrastructure. However Council can reduce or waive
Infrastructure charges if they choose to. Obviously if not contributed through development, the cost
of such infrastructure would be borne by the broader community through general rates revenue.
17.2.4           Build-to-rent
Build-to-rent developments are residential developments specifically designed and built for long term
managed rental to permanent tenants rather than being sold off to individual owners.
         The Queensland government has recently partnered with the construction industry in two
         such projects in inner Brisbane with a combined total of 750 apartments. A third of these will
         be provided at a discounted rent with the rest at market rent.




Noosa Housing Needs Assessment 2021                                                          Page 126