New podcast highlights housing crisis

Article by Noosa Today | 17 October 2022

The dire state of the Sunshine Coast housing market and the unexpected stories of heartbreak from the current crisis are being highlighted in a brand new podcast named Homes for Everyone.

Spearheaded by local businessman Mal Cayley, the first episode featured Brightwater woman Nicole Stevens who lost all home security during Covid-19 despite having a well paid full time job and excellent rental history.

“I got a phone call from our property manager saying the owner had decided to sell, the property sold very quickly and it was to owner occupiers so we were told at the end of our lease we would have to move out,“ Ms Stevens said on the podcast.

She applied for properties months in advance, and even created a brochure to show both the real estate and owners she was a great tenant, as the move out date loomed.

“We got to two days before that date and I didn’t have a home so I booked a storage facility and it was the worst feeling in the world,“ Ms Stevens said.

Ms Stevens was offered a studio granny flat short term by a friend, while she continued to search for somewhere to live with her three children.

“I felt I had failed my children as a parent. It was unbelievable to me that I couldn’t provide them a bed each,“ Ms Stevens said.

“One of my daughters was sleeping on the floor and the other daughter had to share a queen-sized bed with her mum.”

Seven weeks later she was approved for a property, but it took Ms Stevens months to unpack as she was nervous it would happen all over again.

“There’s no security like there used to be, I’ve been a tenant for 18 years and the other homes I lived in I’ve always felt like it was my choice when I decided to leave and it would be for my reasons.“ she said.

Direct Collective’s Mal Cayley said it was normal for these feelings to linger.

“We are hearing these same stories of shame and fear daily now that we have launched the Homes for Everyone initiative,“ Mr Cayley said.

“With so many people being displaced, it is the social and mental health impact that people haven’t worried about prior.“

Mr Cayley said 5500 properties were missing from the rental pool on the Sunshine Coast, meaning around 14,000 locals were put in the same boat as Ms Stevens.

This was his driver behind the Homes for Everyone initiative, including the new podcast.

“As a father of six, I am doing this for my sons and daughters, and their friends and cohorts,“ Mr Cayley said.

“I predicted this crisis 10 years ago, and looking at what the next 10 years holds, there is no hope for some of them – we have already lost thousands of people from this community who are aged under 30 because there is nowhere for them to live.

“We have the answers and the solutions, now we just need to gain support from the community to ensure the government listens to what we have to say.

“I am so grateful Ms Stevens and her daughters have a home, but I want to make sure she has home security, and everyone else who was displaced also does too.“

The Homes for Everyone initiative is calling for people to put their digital hand up in support by filling in the form at homesforeveryone.com.au so the collective voice of the community can make real, positive changes.

Listen to the podcast on Spotify, iHeartRadio or visit homesforeveryone.com.au