Yallambee Lodge to house asylum seekers and refugees A shortage of low-cost suitable accommodation will see a Deagon nursing home used to house refugees and asylum seekers from next month. Yallambee Lodge, which was sold by former owners Blue Care to a private investor in May, has been leased to Bric Housing Company, which is the housing provider for the Multicultural Development Association. The association plans to house 86 clients at the lodge from July 8. Most of the residents will be asylum seekers who have been released on bridging visas while they wait for their claims to be processed. The majority of those who will be housed at the Deagon home are believed to be women and children. A Department of Immigration spokesman described the situation as "nothing out of the ordinary" and said there were 14,812 asylum seekers on bridging visas living in the community across the nation. The lodge operated as an aged care facility for 37 years before Blue Care closed its doors, citing the building was "no longer at a standard Blue Care would like for its residents or staff" last year. Most residents were relocated to a new Blue Care aged care facility in Redcliffe. The site sat empty until its sale in May. "Blue Care listed the property for sale on an 'as is, where is' basis at the end of last year," a spokeswoman said. The property retailed its approval as an institutional residence, which made it possible to use as a multi unit dwelling. Multicultural Development Association chief executive officer, Kerrin Benson, said housing options for refugees and asylum seekers was limited and the former aged care site provided a viable solution. "Yallambee Lodge was an unused facility that will now ensure the community is getting value for money, and allows asylum seeking families to live out of detention and have a more normal family life," she said. This facility provides low-cost accommodation suitable for asylum seekers. MDA and Bric are committed to consulting with the local community to ensure this is a smooth process for both our clients and for local residents. Bric Housing has sent letters to nearby residents in Esther and Braun Streets to advise them of the move. Any residents who continue to have concerns have been invited to meet with MDA representatives for a face to face consultation "to identify opportunities to alleviate them."