Caloundra House - Major concerns for residents and neighbouring community

Attention Residents – if you would like to support my attached letter, with the aim to improve the day-to-day operations, safety and location of the Caloundra House Facility, for both the residents and our neighbouring community, please sign this petition. 

Terry Landsberg has kindly offered to present this petition on the 8th Decemeber at the Sunshine Coast Council Ordinary meeting.

Our petition aims to inform SCC's leadership of our concerns, regarding the private operation of Caloundra House as a matter of urgency, which resides within two adjoining properties 11 Marlua Ave and 9A Queen Street Moffat Beach.

To whom it may concern,

Civitas Group owns this business, which is operating as a Level III Supported Accommodation Facility. Caloundra House website advertises 24/7 onsite staff, healthy nutritious meals, and medication management, to meet the needs of their residents, who we believe, have been allocated a minimum NDIS funding of 1:3 ratio supported care. Caloundra House also advertise on their website, that they work closely with the Sunshine Coast Mental Health Team in Maroochydore and the Nambour
Hospital to facilitate a smooth coordinated discharge back into the community.
Residing within full view of the daily operations of the Caloundra House facility, our local
neighbourhood would like to report that the residents housed at Caloundra House, appear to be lacking the care and support, in which they need and in which this company is advertising.

This facility operates as Home - Caloundra House and Supported Care and we believe, require a thorough audit and investigation.
The neighbouring community, within the perimeter and beyond, have gathered over 400 videos displaying the ongoing neglect to residents homed at Caloundra House. The local neighbourhood community have attempted to bring this to the attention of our local police, and our local MP (Jason Hunt) through meetings, phone calls and emails. Both parties have been unable to investigate and/or assist with our concerns, regarding the lack of care and support the residents currently receive at Caloundra House. In contrast, we continue to receive ongoing support from our local Division 2 Councillor, Cr Terry Landsberg by initiating responses from State and Federal members on this issue, in support of our case to improve management and operation activities at Caloundra
House.

In addition, local community members residing within the surroundings of Caloundra House, have attempted many times to contact the facility owners and operators. Resulting in no success or outcome, to benefit those impacted by the operations of Caloundra House. We have been advised by Civitas Group Management via email that their “facility is here to stay for the next 20 years”.
Civitas Group Management have completely dismissed our concerns regarding the neglect of their residents.

Surrounding neighbouring families continue to be largely impacted physically and mentally by the location and operations of Caloundra House within their immediate neighbourhood. Some families have had to unfortunately relocate. Caloundra House has a duty of care not only to its residents but to its surrounding community. Our local community is largely impacted by living within the perimeter of this facility. Our local neighbouring families, including children, are continuously exposed to the daily happenings within the facility. This is mainly due to the location of Caloundra
House which resides below and next to many elevated family homes.

Please be advised that some local neighbours of Caloundra House (including children) are seeking professional support to deal with the ongoing impacts experienced from this facility, which include:
1. Indecent exposure, lack of sleep, fear of injury and danger.
2. Unable to access front yards and local street for playtime, swimming in pools and the
ability to utilize backyards. This is due to Caloundra House residents having view and direct
access.
3. Unmanageable cost incurred by neighbouring properties to restrict direct access to
Caloundra House residents, by constructing maximum fencing height allowance, privacy
screening and cameras.
4. Educating families to always lock doors during day and night.

We believe Caloundra House requires an increase in 24-hour staff and security to be able operate this facility with a duty of care to its residents and local community. Caloundra House is currently housing over 30 residents with alcohol, drug, and mental health illnesses. Staff appear to be present during business hours but are reported to reduce to one onsite supervisor outside of the Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm business hours.

Within the last 11 months, we have daily incidents from Caloundra House, recorded and reported to
police, local council and MP for the following:
• Ongoing yelling, swearing, and fighting (verbally and physically), music playing loudly up until 5am.
• Discussions of purchasing and selling drugs.
• Threatening use of firearms.
• Episodes of extreme psychosis.
• Naked residents within and outside the facility.
• Unusual and frequent brief meet and greet visitors, coming and going daily for 1-2
minutes each visit (outside supported hours).
• Alcohol glass bottles and syringes being thrown over fences into neighbouring
properties.
• Drunk and disorderly residents.
• Residents smashing / breaking windows and balconies.
• Residents walking from balcony to roof (direct access).
• Male verbally abusing a support worker.
• Council bins located permanently on the street front and witnessed to be used by
residents as a bag drop.
• Constant coming and going of police and ambulance vehicles.
• Fire alarms are regularly activated at all hours of day and night, causing the arrival of fire
trucks and personnel.
• Residents approaching children on their way to and from school.
• Residents found in local neighbourhood gardens passed out.
• Staff continually use the facility PA system daily; morning, afternoon, and evening, to
distribute medication, using residents first and last names.
• Statistics show emergency services are called to action almost daily (Right to
Information).
• Ongoing access to alcohol (8 bottle shops located within approx. 2.5km radius) and
drugs.
• Facility does not appear to be maintained (may require building inspection for safety of
residents for example: entry and egress, balcony providing direct access to roof.
• Caloundra House staff reported to local neighbourhood members that they are
understaffed, trained, and supported.
• Overactive traffic and parking within a quiet neighbourhood court.

The purpose of this facility is not only to meet the basic requirements of these vulnerable residents, like food and shelter but needs to be extended to aiding in the success of rehabilitation, bettering mental health and the like within its surrounding community.

We would like this investigated as a matter of urgency on behalf of the residents at Caloundra House and its neighbouring community.

Kind regards,

Moffat Beach's Local Community

Local Community    Contact the author of the petition