For over 35 years, SHAC has pioneered support in the area of housing and financial resilience for the Cairns community.


Cumulatively since 2012, our Family and Housing Support team has supported over:

  • 1,545 adults

  • 2,635 children

  • 73% of families identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

  • 79% of presenting head of family unit identified as Female

  • 1,128 cases where Domestic and Family Violence was identified

  • 3,220 distinct Temporary Supported Accommodation stays, totaling 321,309 bed nights

  • 902 distinct Same House Different Landlord stays, totaling 115,936 bed nights

  • 86 distinct Long Term Community Housing stays, totaling 17,616 bed nights

 Cumulatively since 2012, our Housing and Family Mobile Support program has supported over:

  • 2,597 families

  • 11,408 hours dedicated to case-managed support

  • 69% of families identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

  • 71% of presenting head of family unit identified as Female

  • 423 cases where Domestic and Family Violence was identified


Cumulatively since 2016, our My Money Program has supported over:

  • 1,717 families and individuals

  • 38,353 hours dedicated to case-managed support

  • 54% of clients identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

  • 81% of presenting head of family unit identified as Female

  • 429 cases where Domestic and Family Violence was identified

  • Over $1,090,894.96 in debts waived

Cumulatively since 2005, our No Interest Loans (NILs) team has supported over:

  • 6,165 new loans issued to the value of $5,938,152

  • 3,829 loans completed (fully paid off)

  • 7,147 adults and 7,644 children benefited from loans issued

  • 67% of clients identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

  • 76% of clients identified as Female


 

SHAC in the spotlight:

Cairns Post feature: Calls for more public housing to ease Cairns rental squeeze (November, 2023)

Radio interview with ABC, about the housing crisis and short-stay accommodation (playback from 2:07:33) (September, 2023)

Radio interview with ABC, about the housing crisis (playback from 1:14:50) (August, 2023)

TV interview with Channel 7, about the housing crisis (August, 2023)

Cairns Post feature: Rent hikes, lack of upkeep symptom of crisis (March, 2023)

Radio interview with 4CA, about the housing crisis (February, 2023)

Cairns Post feature: Housing support package falls short for thousands on wait list (December, 2022)

Cairns Post feature: Cairns housing crisis to be discussed at emergency Queensland Housing Summit (October, 2022)

Cairns Post feature: Calls for Airbnb owners to pay higher rates amid Cairns‘ rental crisis (September, 2022)

Cairns Post feature: Sally Watson of SHAC says Cairns crisis housing solutions constrained by state government funding (August, 2022)

Cairns Post feature: Youth Foyer proposal for Cairns to address vulnerable youth (July, 2022)

Homelessness cost of living case study (pages 26-27) (September, 2021)

Submission to Parliament regarding Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support) Bill 2021 (2021)

My Money Program: Supporting Pathways to Financial and Housing Stability (pages 47-49) (November, 2017)

NIls in Far North Queensland: Evaluation of the reach funding (June, 2017)

Discussion paper to Treasury for Strategies for reducing reliance on high‑cost, short‑term, small amount lending (April, 2012)

 
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