Maggie finds home in heritage-listed social housing in Clayfield

Published: 

18 September 2023 12:12PM

For Maggie, securing a social housing home in Clayfield has given her a new lease on life.

“I feel relieved that I have accommodation that I can afford. I feel safe here, and that was a big concern about where I was going to live.”

The Clayfield property is one of four sites which had been used to house older Queenslanders, which we have purchased or leased for use as social housing, including Toowoomba, Redlands and Rothwell.

The property is made up of a heritage listed, federation style house, surrounded by one-bedroom units, studio units and a women’s complex. The 37-room property is for people 55 years and older.

“It’s given me a new chance to get on with my older years, because I’ve just gone onto the aged pension and I can just live life and relax and think, I’m going to be ok, because I didn’t feel like that a few months ago”.

Maggie was renting a property nearby, but health issues and rent rises meant she could no longer work or afford to pay the rent. She contacted the Fortitude Valley Housing Service Centre who arranged a visit to the Clayfield property.

She loved the feel of the place from her first visit.

“We came out and had a look through and I said, I would love to live here. I did the paperwork with the Department of Housing, and they were absolutely brilliant.”

Bric Housing manages the tenancies on the site and works with the Fortitude Valley Housing Service Centre to assess and allocate new residents to the property.

“I love sitting out in the rotunda in the afternoons, different neighbours have come and sat and have a chat. Our stories are different but similar.”

Maggie is keen to get the message across that anyone can find themselves in a position where they need social housing.

“We’re okay people, we’re just average, life has gone a bit skew whiff and it can happen to anybody and how grateful I am to be here and I will always do my best to look after this neighbourhood and this place.”

To find out more about how the department is repurposing properties formerly used to house older Queenslanders visit Repurposing former aged care homes | Department of Housing.

If you need housing help visit Get help with housing.