A change to planning rules to allow Queenslanders to rent out their granny flats will increase affordable housing stocks, the state government says.
Restrictions on who can live in granny flats will be removed so secondary dwellings can be rented on the open market, according to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
“I know the rental market is tough and, right now, homeowners can’t rent secondary dwellings to anyone other than immediate family,” she said in a Facebook post on Friday.
“Changing this will mean many cheaper properties will enter the rental market, helping thousands of people across our state.”
Legislation isn’t required to make the change and the regulation could be amended as soon as Friday.
As it stands, only relatives can live in granny flats, Planning Minister Steven Miles said.
“At the same time some Queenslanders are sleeping in their cars or in tents,” he said.
The changes will be reviewed after three years to ensure there are no unintended consequences.
“Each homeowner will of course need to ensure their secondary dwelling complies with fire and building provisions so accommodation for renters is safe,” Mr Miles said.
The change follows a roundtable held last week ahead of a housing summit on October 20.
Other potential changes include minimum requirements for affordable housing in new developments.
Stakeholders say significant increases in social housing levels are needed.
The Queensland Council of Social Service has said at least 5000 new social housing dwellings need to be built every year for the next decade to solve the crisis.
“Right now, we have about 50,000 people waiting on the social housing register and a growing number of Queenslanders presenting to community services desperately needing help with housing,” chief executive Aimee McVeigh said last week.
© AAP 2022
