Council decides homelessness hub operators

The Breakfast Club Redcliffe and The Salvation Army have been granted peppercorn leases to operate in the new Moreton Bay Housing and Homelessness Hub when it opens mid next year.

Moreton Bay City Councillors approved the arrangement during its general meeting this morning.

Construction of the hub is expected to start shortly and be finished by June 2024, weather permitting.

It has been many years in the making and follows a sustained community campaign for more to be done to support the homeless and others in need across the city.

Mayor Peter Flannery said council would contribute $3.6m to the project, with an additional $3m coming from the State Government.

“I fully support this initiative. It once again shows how council steps outside our realm or roads, rates and rubbish ... which is what is expected of us now,” Mayor Peter Flannery said.

“Homeless is a huge, growing crisis area in our city but also across Queensland and probably Australia … and around the world.”

Councillor Winchester (Div 6) said the community identified the need for a hub a long time ago and it would be great to see The Breakfast Club have access to such a facility.

He highlighted the role the organisation played in supporting the homeless but also families, who were not homeless but struggling to make ends meet.

Council has split the tenancy, at the corner of Portwood St and Oxley Ave, Redcliffe, in two to enable a specialist homelessness service provider to be based there and work in partnership with The Breakfast Club Redcliffe.

Two applications were received. The Salvation Army Property Trust was successful in securing the lease for five years, with annual rent of $1 per year. The Breakfast Club of Redcliffe lease is for 10 years at a cost of $1 per year.

A report to councillors said: “The Breakfast Club Redcliffe Inc has, in recent times, held tenure at this location and has long been earmarked as the anchor tenant for the new Hub facility.

“The tenancy area has been purposefully designed for the Breakfast Club’s operations and will include a commercial kitchen with cold storage facilities, a dining room to cater for 100 people, office space, bathrooms, showers, laundry and locker facilities.”

The report said The Salvation Army would provide assessment and referral services, connect people to social networks and employment and training, financial counselling courses, community education and more.

“Additionally, The Salvation Army intend to provide ‘hot desk’ access to other service staff and providers who work in a mobile capacity, including but not limited to their Veterans’ Support Team and Mobile Support Team,” the report said.