- Housing Minister announces government is open for business to purchase and retain homes exiting rental affordability scheme
- The decision by the former Commonwealth LNP Government to discontinue the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) is seeing some 10,000 properties disappear from the pool of affordable rentals
The Palaszczuk Government has announced it will step up where the Commonwealth has exited on the National Rental Affordability Scheme.
The government is expected to work with community housing providers and individual owners to fast-track the purchase of homes that remain in the scheme, where there is a willing seller and it represents value for money.
As of mid-this year there are only 4,841 homes left, with all properties built under this scheme to exit by the middle of 2025.
Quotes attributable to Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon:
“The Palaszczuk Government is open for business to purchase and retain NRAS homes that have not yet left the scheme.
“The removal of this important, affordable housing is having a significant impact on an already very constrained market.
“Where the former Commonwealth government has exited – we have stepped up.
“Already we have partnered with community housing providers National Affordable Housing Consortium and Coast 2 Bay to purchase up to 456 houses exiting the scheme, and now we will go further.
“While this won’t be the right option for every NRAS owner, we anticipate that there will be enough take up to deliver a significant boost to our housing stock.
“While we build new homes, this significant announcement will ensure we can keep affordable and social homes in the system.”
Quotes attributable to QSHelter Executive Director Fiona Caniglia:
“While we are disappointed the NRAS subsidies weren’t extended by the National Government, this offers an opportunity for NRAS owners to consider selling their property to the State Government.
“The uncertain future of many NRAS tenants has caused fear and distress. Q Shelter hopes NRAS owners will consider selling their properties to the State so that those households have security and affordability.
“Community housing providers are ready to partner with Government to deliver these homes.
“This is why the future delivery of affordable housing must avoid fixed-term subsidies because eventually those households will face a cliff.”
