social housing Archives - Redcliffe Today

Queensland Expands Youth Housing with Redcliffe Project

Redcliffe will become home to Queensland’s first Youth Foyer in the Moreton Bay region, offering stable housing to young people aged 16 to 25 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Expanding Support Across Moreton Bay

The foyer will provide 40 self-contained units, along with 24/7 on-site support, enabling tenants to develop independent living skills while participating in education, training, or employment. The initiative is part of a wider effort to address rising homelessness in Moreton Bay.

In the past 15 months, the Department of Housing has helped over 450 households into social housing and provided rental assistance to more than 3,600 people. An additional $10.1 million has been allocated to eight Specialist Homelessness Services. These services provide temporary accommodation, tenancy support, and emergency housing.

Youth Foyer Model and Community Benefits

Youth Foyers offer a structured environment where young people can learn life skills and gain access to education and employment opportunities. Residents pay roughly 25 percent of their income in rent, with the average stay lasting around 18 months.

*Photo Credit: Logan Youth Foyer Support Service/Facebook*

The Redcliffe foyer is strategically located near public transport, services, and TAFE to maximise access to local resources.

Design and Construction Plans

Brisbane-based Arkhefield has been contracted to design the Redcliffe foyer, which will feature self-contained units, shared communal spaces, and private areas for support services.

*Photo Credit: Townsville Youth Foyer/Facebook*

This approach ensures a balance between independence and guidance, helping vulnerable youth transition smoothly into adulthood. The project is part of a broader plan to establish eight Youth Foyers across Queensland by the end of the term.

Community Response

Local council officials noted the growing challenge of youth homelessness and highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts to support vulnerable residents.

Community organisations have welcomed the initiative, noting the urgent need for more housing and stronger support services to assist local youth.

Published 13-October-2025

Redcliffe To Host New Youth Housing Project For At-Risk Young People

Photo Credit: Queensland Government

Redcliffe set to welcome a new youth housing project aimed at helping young people aged 16 to 25 at risk of homelessness.

Early Design and Planning

The proposed Moreton Bay Youth Foyer will offer 40 self-contained apartments with 24/7 support, linking stable housing with education and employment opportunities to help young residents build independence.

*Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Facebook*

The project is in the early design stage, with preliminary plans expected by the end of the year. The Queensland Government purchased the Redcliffe site in 2025 and appointed Brisbane-based Arkhefield to design the development. The foyer replaces earlier proposals in Mango Hill and beside Caboolture TAFE that are no longer proceeding.

Housing Model and Support

Residents will pay approximately 25 percent of their income in rent while participating in education, training, or work. The foyer will provide onsite support to help tenants maintain stable housing, access employment or study opportunities, and develop life skills.

The model follows the framework of eight youth foyers being delivered across Queensland under the state’s long-term housing plan.

Community Benefits

Local leaders emphasised the positive impact of the foyer on Redcliffe. The project will complement existing services, including the Peninsula Support Hub, The Breakfast Club, and The Salvation Army, creating a network of support for vulnerable young people.

The location provides easy access to public transport, local services, and TAFE facilities.

Next Steps and Considerations

No construction timeline has been announced. The government expects to release detailed preliminary designs before seeking planning approvals.

Community feedback and consultation will inform final plans, and eligibility criteria for young people will be confirmed closer to the development stage.

Published 13-October-2025

Homelessness Support Hub Opens in Redcliffe

Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Facebook

A new purpose-built facility has officially opened in Redcliffe to support people experiencing homelessness through meal services, case management, and essential care.

Years in the Making

The Peninsula Support Hub in Redcliffe opened on 28 July 2025, following more than 15 years of advocacy for a dedicated support facility. The project was accelerated in late 2023 due to a rising number of people sleeping rough across the region. Construction began in June 2024.

homelessness support — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Facebook*

Jointly Funded and Community-Focused

The $6.7 million facility was jointly funded through a $3.7 million contribution from the City of Moreton Bay and a $3 million allocation from the South East Queensland Community Stimulus Program. The site is located at the corner of Portwood Street and Oxley Avenue in Redcliffe and is now home to The Breakfast Club Redcliffe and The Salvation Army.

The hub provides a range of wrap-around services including case management, housing referrals, meal services, laundry and shower facilities, and social support. It has been designed in close consultation with its tenants to meet operational needs and better serve the community.

Redcliffe homelessness support hub — *Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Facebook*

Operational Details and Services

The Breakfast Club will operate on-site with the following schedule:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Breakfast from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, Thursday: Drop-in support from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Salvation Army will begin service delivery on 7 August 2025, operating from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, with multiple staff members providing on-site support including concierge and case management.

Providing Stability and Dignity

On the first day of service, 35 individuals attended breakfast. The facility aims to provide stability and dignity, offering more than basic necessities by fostering social connection and access to professional help in one central location.

According to the service providers, the new hub will significantly increase their capacity to produce meals and deliver programs. The $1-per-year lease provided by the council allows service organisations to prioritise community outreach over operational overheads.

*Photo Credit: City of Moreton Bay/Facebook*

A Model for Local Solutions

This initiative is considered by local leaders to be among the first of its kind in Queensland, where collaboration across sectors has produced a unified facility for social support. Local officials acknowledged that while this hub addresses immediate needs, broader solutions are still required to meet long-term housing challenges in the area.

Efforts are also underway across 15 suburbs to waive development fees and infrastructure charges for affordable and social housing projects, with additional council-owned land provided to housing organisations.

Published 2-Aug-2025

MBRC Waives Fees to Support Social Housing Development on Portwood Street

Photo credit: Google Maps

Did you know? Moreton Bay Regional Council recently announced that it waived fees to support social housing development in Redcliffe.

MBRC announced last 14 December 2022 that it has waived $220,000 in infrastructure charges and development application fees for Bric Housing. The initiative is aimed at helping the organisation with their plans to build a new 18-dwelling social housing block on Portwood Street, Redcliffe for people experiencing homelessness.

Once completed in 2023, the complex will also feature a rooftop solar system with state-of-the-art technology that will enable it to distribute the solar energy between the units. There will also be amenities to support tenants to age in place including secure lobby and lift access, private balconies and car parking for each dwelling.

It follows Mayor Peter Flannery’s announcement last August 2022, stating that Community Housing Providers who build social or affordable housing in Moreton Bay will not be required to pay any development fees or charges.

“To say I’m thrilled is an understatement – I honestly can’t believe this initiative has been so successful so quickly, and I’m so excited that Bric Housing already has ground works underway on Portwood Street in Redcliffe,” he said.

“When I wrote to Community Housing Providers outlining the incentives available and offering to work with them, we were overwhelmed by their enthusiasm.

“This project is a great start, and I hope it will lead to many more.

Between the 2011 and 2016 census, Moreton Bay saw an increase homelessness by 57 per cent. That rate is faster than Brisbane’s 39 per cent, Sunshine Coast’s six per cent, and “far too high” above the state average of nine per cent.

Mayor Flannery said that “statistically speaking Moreton Bay faces an unprecedented acceleration in homelessness” compared to its neighbours.

MBRC Waives Fees to Support Social Housing in Redcliffe — “Housing affordability could be the greatest challenge of our time… and it’s not just a Moreton Bay or a Queensland issue, this is a national crisis.” – Mayor Flannery | Photo credit: Moreton Bay Regional Council / moretonbay.qld.gov.au

“The lack of social and affordable housing in our region is putting more and more people at risk of homelessness, already more than 1200 locals are already considered homeless.”

Mayor Flannery added that about 25 years ago, there used to be a nation-wide routine annual public housing construction program. But Australia’s population has increased 40 per cent whilst the social housing sector failed to match that rate, with stock increasing only by four per cent.

“Our system has not kept pace with the pressure that’s being put on it, and that pressure’s increasing.

“That’s why in this year’s budget Council committed $1.5 million to building a homelessness support hub in Redcliffe with funding from the State Government.

“I was also very pleased to see that Brisbane Housing Company, with the State Government’s Housing Investment Fund’s support, is investing in social and affordable housing in Redcliffe.

Bric Housing is a recognised leader in the community housing sector for the past decade in South East Queensland.

“This new accommodation in Redcliffe will be designed to provide good quality accommodation, and tenancy sustainment support, for 18 single people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with the support of State Government funding,” CEO Jane West said.

“It’s unusual and incredibly welcome for a Council to be so active in this space, given homelessness and housing are portfolios of the State and Federal Governments. It really is a pleasure to be working with a Council that’s been so proactive about doing what they can within their powers to respond to this very urgent need.

“I’d definitely encourage other Community Housing Providers to take up this opportunity with Moreton Bay Council, because we know areas like Redcliffe and Caboolture have had above-average rates of homelessness and this has significantly increased in recent years.”