The Darling Downs has received a boost in social housing with the opening of a new 12 Unit complex in Toowoomba.
Minister for Communities, Housing and Digital Economy Leeanne Enoch said the new two storey apartment building located in Harristown has transformed the lives of tenants by providing safe, secure and stable accommodation.
“The Palaszczuk Government has invested $3.86 million in the construction of the unit complex which has supported 12 FTE jobs on site and many more through the local building supply chain.
“It’s fantastic to be here in Harristown today to meet some of the new tenants and hear about how much these new homes mean to them.
“QuickStarts Qld, a component of the new $1.9 billion Queensland Housing Growth Initiative (QHIGI), will see construction on an additional 100 new social homes commenced in the Darling Downs region through a $32.5 million investment over the next four years.
“This injection builds on the 65 new social homes already commenced in the Darling Downs under the Queensland Housing Strategy 2017–2027 and the Works for Tradies program.
“Through the Queensland Government’s new Queensland Housing and ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾lessness Action Plan 2021-2025 we are investing $2.9 billion across Queensland including the establishment of a $1 billion Housing Investment Fund, a vital part of Queensland’s COVID-19 economic recovery plan.”
Minister Enoch said the supply of social and affordable housing will increase by almost 10,000 over the first eight years of the Housing Strategy, including 7,400 new homes over the next four years.
“This is the largest concentrated investment in social housing in Queensland’s history.
“This investment means we can increase the supply of social housing and house more vulnerable Queenslanders sooner,” Ms Enoch said.
For new tenant 18-year-old Keanu, the two-bedroom unit means he and his mum Nicole, can be together again after severe illness forced him into care for several years.
“It’s a good place and it has a bus stop right out the front of the complex.
“And it’s great to be back with my mum. We love it,” Keanu said.
Ms Enoch said the complex has been officially named Pauline Alroe Place.
“Pauline Alroe was a local Toowoomba Alderman, community activist and much-loved member of the community,” Ms Enoch said.
