Logan will welcome more than 300,000 more residents by 2046 according to Queensland government statistics, but the question begs, where will we put them?
Fresh data has revealed southeast Queensland’s population will increase by almost 2.2 million to hit 6 million by 2046, with 311,300 headed to Logan – bringing the city’s population to 662,000 people.
Queensland deputy premier Steven Miles said people were moving to Queensland in droves and “who could blame them”.
“We are in our decade of opportunity, we have a strong economy, we have a 10-year pipeline of infrastructure projects in the lead up to and beyond Brisbane 2032,” Mr Miles said.
“We’ve seen record levels of net interstate migration and now increasing international immigration.
“Why live in Melbourne when you could live in SEQ?”
But those at the coal face of the housing crisis in Logan are more realistic about the very real issues of housing affordability and the cost-of-living crisis facing many in our community.
Logan emergency assistance service YFS, said more than 1000 people in Logan had been identified as homeless since December 2021, and the crisis was deepening.
YFS CEO Christopher John said YFS alone received enquiries from 120 local households each week facing homelessness.
YFS is the host organisation for Logan Zero – a collaboration of community organisations, services and government working together to end homelessness and rough sleeping in the greater Logan region.
“The data collected by Logan Zero campaign partners is being used to get a true picture of homelessness in Logan and identify ways to improve systems and support services, and ultimately end homelessness in the area,” Mr John said.
“The campaign data is providing us with meaningful information about the needs of people experiencing homelessness and helping to identify bottlenecks and gaps in the system.”
These barriers can be something as simple as not having identification documents.
“You can’t end homelessness without ID,” Mr John said.
“Identification documents often get lost, stolen or destroyed in the process of becoming homeless but you need personal ID to make rental applications, open a bank account, access government support and so much more.
“It can be complex and costly to get identification documents, and people often need support to navigate the systems.”
The Logan Zero data highlights the need for solutions that bring services together to overcome barriers and provide wrap-around support for housing and other needs.
Mr John said Logan needed a “homelessness hub”
“A one-stop shop that brings together government, non-government and community services, where people experiencing homelessness can go to get the supports they need,” he said.
“We also need more outreach so that services can go out to where people are to provide them with support.
“We are seeing increasing numbers of people sleeping in our parks and public spaces and Logan Zero’s data shows that they need support for health and other challenges as well as housing services.
“And of course, we urgently need more safe and affordable housing stock, including more social housing and more supportive housing for people who need ongoing help to maintain a tenancy.”
Logan City Council mayor Darren Power said council had consistently met all housing targets set by the Queensland Government in its Southeast Queensland Regional Plan.
“I have been advocating to Deputy Premier Steven Miles and other Queensland Government representatives for quite some time about the financial challenges we face – in particular infrastructure charges – to deliver critical infrastructure in emerging neighbourhoods,” Cr Power said.
“The City of Logan is a popular place for young families who value affordability and quality lifestyles in a great location.
“While we welcome growth, it must be well planned, and the infrastructure has to be delivered in a timely manner.
“Council is currently working on updating its own Planning Scheme (Logan Plan 2025) to guide unprecedented growth across the city and the community will soon have an opportunity to learn more about these updates.”
