C’ba Hair Capalaba owner Emma Hayes fears for the future of her hair salon after she discovered a squatter had taken up residence behind the shop
A business owner fears she could lose her hair salon after a squatter set up a makeshift house behind the shop, blocking her staff from entering the property.
Emma Hayes, owner of C’ba Hair in Capalaba in Brisbane’s south-east, was told by employees during a visit to her family that a 52-year-old homeless woman had set up a small shelter behind the salon on March 6.
Ms Hayes was told a squatter (pictured) had set up a shelter for himself under her hair salon in Brisbane’s south-east last month.
CCTV footage shows how the homeless woman moved a large wooden pallet on the night of March 14, leaving behind pieces of rubbish.
Ms Hayes told Daily Mail Australia the woman invited several others into the makeshift shelter and left a huge mess behind.
“They were stealing power, she was having sex with people down there for drugs, and there are disgusting things everywhere, including needles,” she said.
Ms Hayes claims the homeless woman also lit several fires alongside gas cylinders that power her shop.
The squatters left behind a huge mess (photo) in the space under the salon that was used as a makeshift home
The business owner, who now pays $17,000 in insurance to protect her store from intruders, fears she could be forced onto the streets herself if the homelessness problem is not addressed.
“If I lose this salon I would be homeless because I don’t have a husband and I don’t come from a wealthy family,” Ms. Hayes said.
‘My house guarantees me.’
Ms Hayes said it had been stressful dealing with homeless people in the area.
“I had moments where I was doing hair and a guy came in with his head on the ice and I had to stop what I was doing because everyone was just so scared,” she said.
She is still reeling from the loss of another salon business in 2021 when a homeless man started a fire in a trash can, causing the store to go up in flames and the damage to leave her $50,000 out of pocket.
Ms Hayes, the daughter of a former police officer, said she had made several reports to police about the squatters, but was told officers could do little about the issue unless a criminal offense had been committed.
A Queensland Police spokesperson told Daily Mail officers had spoken to the woman after reports were made about her.
Emma Hayes (pictured), owner of C’ba Hair Salon in Capalaba, said she fears she could lose her business due to rising insurance costs
The squatters set up the makeshift house in a small space behind the business, forcing staff to clean up the mess left behind (pictured)
“Homelessness is not a criminal offence, and the Queensland Police Service (QPS) does not remove rough sleepers,” the spokesperson said.
‘However, if a criminal offense is identified, officers will take appropriate action.’
The spokesman said officers advised the building’s landlord to cordon off the small space and that they would put up ‘No Trespassing’ signs to prevent people from using the area as a living space.
The woman reportedly left the room and moved to another room, not far from the hair salon.
Ms Hayes said she tried to help the woman but she refused her offer.
“I offered to buy the woman a tent and groceries,” she said.
Several support groups were also contacted to lend their support. Mrs Hayes was told they could not provide much help.
Jess, one of the staff who works at the salon, said it was the third time the business had been hit by homeless people looking for somewhere to live.
“As a result, we pay some of the highest salon insurance in the country,” she said.
An employee told Daily Mail that the store has experienced multiple incidents of homeless people causing problems in the salon (photo: CCTV footage from the store of another incident involving an intruder)
Ms Hayes revealed she is paying a huge $17,000 insurance policy to protect her hair salon (pictured) from intruders
Ms Hayes said her staff have been forced to clean up the rubbish left behind by the squatter and the other homeless people.
She said her hair salon is not the only business in the area used by squatters to set up their makeshift homes.
“She (the homeless woman) went to The Hub (a medical store on Raymond Street) … and (allegedly) lit a fire,” Ms Hayes said.
Queensland has seen the largest increase in homelessness assistance requests of any state, according to a report from Homeless Australia.
According to the Homelessness Peak Organization, 16,225 people requested assistance in the state in March 2023, a 12.9 percent increase from December 2022.
Earlier this year, the state government announced it wanted to build a further 53,500 social homes by 2046, which would contribute around $6 billion in housing investment.
Figures from real estate website Domain show that the vacancy rate in Brisbane has fallen slightly from 0.9 percent in December last year to 0.8 percent in January this year.