Pensioned off

Southern Downs Regional Council has vowed to sell-off its pensioner housing, starting with 24 units at Pioneer Cottage on Fitzroy Street, Warwick.

By ALENA HIGGINS

A COUNCILLOR who opposes an exit management strategy that would see Southern Downs Regional Council sell-off its pensioner housing claims council has other idle properties it could dispose of first rather than “tipping nannas out in the street”.
Cr Jamie Mackenzie was the only councillor to vote against a resolution that council “divest itself of community housing”, starting with the initial sale of 24 cottages at 54 and 56 Fitzroy Street, Warwick.
The decision, which was made in camera last October but only recently came to light, has sent shockwaves through the community, with many pensioners reliant on the affordable accommodation unsure of their future.
“The idea of upsetting our senior residents does not fit well with me,” Cr Mackenzie said.
“With our precarious financial position, there is temptation to sell public housing because it is not the core business of local governments. However, council in my view did not fully investigate other options.”
Cr Mackenzie said he would prefer to return the council’s public housing to the Queensland Government to manage.
“I am sure we could negotiate handing back our equity in these properties to the State Government so that we kept local roofs over vulnerable heads in the long term,” he said.
Max and Rita Jarrott have lived in council-owned community housing in Stanthorpe for eight years.
The pensioner said he was worried he would fail to meet the rent if properties were offered on the “open market” and wondered where they would go if private buyers wanted to do away with the units altogether.
The council first entered into pensioner housing in the 1980s when there was no other providers in the region, mayor Peter Blundell explained in his weekly column.
“As so often happens, it was left to council to fill the gap, and with financial assistance from the State Government, (council) built a number of pensioner units,” Cr Blundell said.
“Obviously, there will be impacts on those who currently reside in council-owned units, and our officers will be working very hard to ensure the best possible outcomes for those involved.”
It now appears likely community housing providers such as the St Vincent de Paul Society and Churches of Christ will have to pick up the slack left by any potential affordable housing black holes.
David Swain, chief operating officer of Churches of Christ Care said the organisation managed 35 National Rental Affordability Scheme properties in Warwick for low to middle incomes earners, of which only one is currently vacant.
Meanwhile, St Vincent de Paul Society has pledged its support, saying it will work with the council during this time to change to support people in need of housing.
Affected tenants were sent a letter earlier this month, which offered them security of tenure for 12 months.
The proceeds of the Fitzroy Street sale will be used to pay out the equity owed to the Department of Housing and Public Works.
An information luncheon will be held today at 54 Fitzroy Street, at 12.30pm, to discuss the issues.