Evicted over a neighbour's complaint? Council's 'disgraceful' decision leaves families in shock
- Replies 14
As we know, housing is a massive issue, with prices skyrocketing and affordable rentals becoming increasingly scarce for many Australians. For several families, every dollar counts, and the struggle to find a safe, comfortable place to call home is all too real.
That's why we were appalled to hear about an elderly resident and two single parents with young children facing eviction from their tiny homes in the Sunshine Coast hinterland due to a neighbouring property owner's complaint.
These three separate tiny homes are situated on a 32-acre property owned by Jacqueline Morton, who the local council has told that her tenants and their homes must be removed by the end of August.
The question on everyone's mind is, 'Where do these families go from here?' Are they expected to live in their cars or even in tents?
It seems absurd that in the midst of a crippling housing crisis, the council is quoting by-laws and regulations that have no regard for the current situation.
Angela Smith, a single mother with two young boys, moved her tiny home onto Ms Morton's property last year and is now facing eviction, despite having no backup plan.
Understandably, she finds the situation completely 'unbelievable', even going as far as calling the council's decision 'heavy-handed' and 'crushing'.
A local councillor, David Law, met with Ms Morton and the tenants on her property, expressing that he doesn't want to see them evicted. Instead, he's calling on other landowners in the area to offer space to host the displaced residents.
Issues like these are not isolated; sadly, this represents only a small fraction of the housing crisis affecting thousands of Australians.
In fact, according to Direct Collective's Lead Researcher and Analyst, Mal Cayley, around 15,000 renters have been displaced on the Sunshine Coast alone.
He was critical of the council's decision, saying it was 'entirely unprepared' and called them to take immediate action.
For many people, turning to tiny homes is a viable alternative when no other options are available. It's a heartbreaking reality that those who already face challenges with housing are being further displaced due to council red tape and bureaucracy.
As Mr Cayley aptly put it, 'This is the greatest crisis we're facing, but because it's almost glacial in how it's got here, and it is “too hard” from a political point of view, no one is treating it like a crisis.'
But is there hope? While the Sunshine Coast Council only allows one temporary home per property and requires a permit for a tiny home to stay longer than four weeks, they did mention in their statement that the permit fee, usually costing $514, can be waived in 'extraordinary circumstances’, including financial hardship.
Ms Morton's property currently houses four tiny homes, meaning three must be removed.
Ultimately, it's up to the council to determine whether they will make an exception and allow these families to remain in their homes, avoiding further displacement.
A solution must be found, and one thing is for sure: evicting families from their homes over a neighbour's complaint is certainly not helping to ease the housing crisis.
What are your thoughts on the council's decision to evict these families from their tiny homes, leaving them potentially homeless? How do you feel about the lack of consideration for the current housing crisis?
That's why we were appalled to hear about an elderly resident and two single parents with young children facing eviction from their tiny homes in the Sunshine Coast hinterland due to a neighbouring property owner's complaint.
These three separate tiny homes are situated on a 32-acre property owned by Jacqueline Morton, who the local council has told that her tenants and their homes must be removed by the end of August.
The question on everyone's mind is, 'Where do these families go from here?' Are they expected to live in their cars or even in tents?
It seems absurd that in the midst of a crippling housing crisis, the council is quoting by-laws and regulations that have no regard for the current situation.
Angela Smith's tiny home, along with two others, has been instructed by the council to be removed from the property by August 31. Image by Tumisu from Pixabay
Angela Smith, a single mother with two young boys, moved her tiny home onto Ms Morton's property last year and is now facing eviction, despite having no backup plan.
Understandably, she finds the situation completely 'unbelievable', even going as far as calling the council's decision 'heavy-handed' and 'crushing'.
A local councillor, David Law, met with Ms Morton and the tenants on her property, expressing that he doesn't want to see them evicted. Instead, he's calling on other landowners in the area to offer space to host the displaced residents.
Issues like these are not isolated; sadly, this represents only a small fraction of the housing crisis affecting thousands of Australians.
In fact, according to Direct Collective's Lead Researcher and Analyst, Mal Cayley, around 15,000 renters have been displaced on the Sunshine Coast alone.
He was critical of the council's decision, saying it was 'entirely unprepared' and called them to take immediate action.
For many people, turning to tiny homes is a viable alternative when no other options are available. It's a heartbreaking reality that those who already face challenges with housing are being further displaced due to council red tape and bureaucracy.
As Mr Cayley aptly put it, 'This is the greatest crisis we're facing, but because it's almost glacial in how it's got here, and it is “too hard” from a political point of view, no one is treating it like a crisis.'
Rules for Tiny Homes
According to Mr Cayley and his team, the Queensland Government has significantly underestimated the population forecast for the Sunshine Coast. Image by jediahowen from Unsplash
But is there hope? While the Sunshine Coast Council only allows one temporary home per property and requires a permit for a tiny home to stay longer than four weeks, they did mention in their statement that the permit fee, usually costing $514, can be waived in 'extraordinary circumstances’, including financial hardship.
Ms Morton's property currently houses four tiny homes, meaning three must be removed.
Ultimately, it's up to the council to determine whether they will make an exception and allow these families to remain in their homes, avoiding further displacement.
A solution must be found, and one thing is for sure: evicting families from their homes over a neighbour's complaint is certainly not helping to ease the housing crisis.
What are your thoughts on the council's decision to evict these families from their tiny homes, leaving them potentially homeless? How do you feel about the lack of consideration for the current housing crisis?
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