• Palaszczuk Government buys $4.1 million vacant aged care home to provide temporary accommodation for people in housing stress.
• It will consist of up to 18 units and expected to welcome residents later this year.
• It’s part of a record $5 billion for social and affordable housing and housing and homelessness support, the largest investment in Queensland’s history, to help deliver 13,500 homes.

A former aged care home north of Brisbane will soon be transformed into homes for Queenslanders in need of housing after the property was purchased by the Palaszczuk Government.

The Rothwell property will undergo a $1.6 million refurbishment before welcoming tenants at the end of the year.

Like the other aged care facilities secured by the Palaszczuk Government in the past six months in Toowoomba, Clayfield and Redland Bay, this property will mostly house older Queenslanders.

The Rothwell site will provide up to 18 units for people in the Moreton Bay region, adding to 58 units at Toowoomba, 37 at Clayfield and 28 at Redlands.

Staff from the Department of Housing and a specialised homelessness service will work onsite with residents to support them in obtaining longer-term accommodation.

Quotes attributable to the Deputy Premier and Member for Murrumba Steven Miles:

“Everyone deserves a place to call home, and soon this former aged care facility will provide a home for older Queenslanders experiencing housing stress.

“Moreton Bay region is one of the largest and fastest growing regions in the country. A property like this will allow people in need to stay within their community and connected to services.

“This helps vulnerable locals into housing and helps to support them into permanent accommodation.

“This is just one example of the diverse housing solutions the government is delivering to help ease housing pressure and increase supply.”   

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Housing Meaghan Scanlon:

“The housing challenges in Queensland and across the country are unprecedented, so we’re always looking at new and innovative solutions to get Queenslanders into safe and stable housing sooner.

“This site is particularly exciting as we have been able to purchase both the building of the former retirement village and the vacant adjoining parcel of land that has potential for longer-term development opportunities.

“Not only do we have shovels in the ground building hundreds of homes through our record $5 billion investment in social and affordable housing, but we are purchasing existing facilities like this that would otherwise have been lost.

“Support doesn’t stop at the front door, this site is a great example of how the Palaszczuk Government will provide not only a home but wrap around support services to help transition residents into longer-term accommodation.”

ENDS

Media contact – Francis Dela Cruz 0420 592 078