Council evicts tiny home residents amid housing crisis | A Current Affair

in the middle of a housing crisis you'd think bureaucrats might be willing to think outside the box well so much for wishful thinking because one council's decision simply defies logic [Music] where are we supposed to go it does make you feel very unsettled and insecure to be living this way we've been asking for compassion and the answer I got was they have to go [Music] these women want is a place to call home it is a Grassroots Community solution to the problem it doesn't cost the taxpayer anything you know we've come up these girls have come up with the idea themselves it seems like the perfect solution to the current housing crisis two single mums in a pensioner living in tiny houses and a caravan on this rural property they've been doing it successfully for 10 months but now the local Council has ordered them out saying they have to be off this land by the end of next month we invested everything to be here and an eviction it's a lot of mental anguish physical anguish pepper and her friends are at playgroup single mum Angela Smith and her two boys moved here last year when their rental was sold facing the rising cost of living she bought this tiny home but needed a place to park it we've got everything we need our Lounge room our kitchen our bathroom and laundry so we are entirely self-sufficient it's a two-story house on Wheels there's room for the kids to play even a veggie patch we have a gray water set up that is the same one the council uses now the council wants them out because it's against regulations and they're facing an uncertain future it is really deeply disappointing and I question when did Council become more about law enforcement than about serving their people we have a housing crisis it's a nationwide housing crisis and I think that they have to make a crisis response to that situation Jacqueline Morton owns the sprawling 32-acre property in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland that's the size of around 300 house blocks when the opportunity came up to share her space and give people a roof over their heads she was happy to do it the main reason I'm passionate about it is because I was faced with the the thought of being homeless many many years ago when my kids were young it's not a big money spinner the women pay very little to stay here or help out around the grounds they've bought themselves a home all they need is somewhere to park and I can offer them that when a friend Judy Stark needed a place to call home Jacqueline provided a place for her Caravan I've never had a home of my own I've always rented I've never been in a position to own a home Judy why is it important for you to live here the peace peaceful the rural setting um like-minded people around me it's good to have different ages too to we can help each other in different ways as a security of not having to move again I've moved quite a lot in the last few years and become home It Feels Like Home yeah Judy says someone from Council even suggested she apply for public housing and join the ballooning wait list but the grandmother and pensioner says that's just not needed the taxpayers don't have to pay for my housing you know and if Jackie would like to have people around her and I'm very happy to be here breaks my heart to that they could be evicted and moved on somewhere else Helen Andrew owns land not far away she helped out someone in need during the pandemic but the same Council booted the woman out the system is is not catching up with the way people are choosing to live our current economic environment has changed dramatically and people are responding to that by buying smaller homes everyone here is happy to work with Council to keep their homes Helens now started a petition this is a Community Driven solution no cost to the taxpayer we've got landowners who want to offer the land in a statement the Sunshine Coast Council says in May 2023 a petition was tabled at a council meeting requesting Council to stop the increasing number of living quarters being erected on the property Council has always sought to work with the property owner to manage through these matters their attitude has been very heavy-handed what would you say to the council if they're listening I am going to make a stand and the girls are standing with me we're doing this together I would say let us stay yeah Sakura homes and let us stay I don't know what they intend to do with us or threaten us with but um yeah we're staying the council says it will work with Jacqueline to give her tenants time and support them to find alternative accommodation but it will not let them stay

Channel: A Current Affair

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Keywords: a current affair, a current affair reporter, a current affair australia, channel 9 news, 9 news australia, australia news, world news, australian news, channel 9

Id: SOszIco2Dvk

Length: 5min 22sec (322 seconds)

Published: Mon Jul 10 2023