The Fraser Coast Regional Council in Queensland, Australia, is set to implement new local laws in the coming weeks aimed at helping families and friends who are struggling to find rental accommodation.
The laws will allow property owners or occupants to host family or friends in a caravan on their property for a period of up to six months within a 12-month period, according to a press release.
According to Councilor Jade Wellings, the changes are a response to the critical shortage of rental properties across the country and a way for the council to assist the community in their time of need.
Wellings said that while housing is primarily the responsibility of the State Government, the community is looking to local leaders for solutions to the problem.
The new laws include regulations to ensure the protection of the amenity of neighbors, such as limiting the use of the caravan to temporary residency and a maximum of six months within a 12-month period.
Property owners will be required to complete a registration form to comply with local law regulations and inform the council of the presence of a caravan on their property.
The amendments do not alter the existing regulations that allow residents to host holidaymakers for up to four weeks in a caravan on their property.
The new laws are focused solely on assisting those who are homeless and do not affect regulations for holidaymakers.
Other requirements of the new laws include that the permanent residence on the property must also be permanently occupied at the same time and provisions for the management of greywater and sanitation. Property owners are prohibited from charging rent or asking for payment.
The arrangement will remain in effect until 31 December 2027, at which point it will revert to the previous version of the local laws unless extended or repealed earlier. Any potential extension or repeal will require community feedback.
The changes to the Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Local Laws come after a thorough process of community consultation and feedback, as well as an assessment against the National Competition Policy Guidelines on anti-competitive provisions in local laws and consultation with multiple government departments.
A petition supporting the changes gathered over 5,000 signatures and was a significant factor in shaping the draft changes, according to Wellings.
The council anticipates that the changes will be gazetted by the end of the next week, at which point the new local laws will come into effect.