Unfortunately, the stigma which is attached to Housing Dept properties and their tenants is not ignored not forgotten by society. Though with the new changes and landscaping, the morale of tenants have increased with the property conditions. The television show ‘Housos’ portrays many of the tenants who reside within Housing’s properties. This use to be the case, until the new changes came into affect. There are still many residences which have been forgotten and are in dire need of repair or problems with need resolving.
On the 12 August 2011, the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism published an article about the NSW Department of Housing, in which it states “Public housing tenants are taking matters into their own hands – and a recent ruling by the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT) could mean Housing NSW is legally liable if it ignores complaints about abusive, disruptive and dangerous tenants”. Yet there are so many reports which have gone unnoticed or have been ignored.
A Newcastle NSW resident, Celia recently created a petition to the Consumer, Trades & Tenancy Tribunal and the Registrar of Community Housing to make the NSW Department of Housing give ‘Duty of Care’ and to take action on the following problems which affects Housing Tenants and Members of the Public:
- Repairs and maintenance on all housing owned buildings and properties.
- All complaints received by tenants.
- All complaints received by members of the public.
- All complaints received about any and/or all tenants.
- Giving ‘duty of care’ to their tenants.
- Giving ‘duty of care’ to any community which surrounds their properties or buildings.
- Giving ‘duty of care’ to members of the public.
- Conduct a re-evaluation of tenants and their current circumstances.
- Conduct an assessment of tenants and their eligibility to continue to be housed.
- Conduct a psychological evaluation before deciding where to place certain people. Eg. A single, childless man with severe mental problems (who is not hospitalised), should not be housed near families, schools, parks and areas where children occupy.
- Protect and house those who’ve actually asked for it.
- Protect and house those who’ve been accepted for transfer.
Celia Stated
The idea first appeared when I began having problems while visiting a couple of NSW Housing Department tenants, where I was abused by a neighbouring tenant. I know there are many tenants who not only suffer from physical disabilities, but also mental. Some of these people began threatening other tenants, their carers and visitors. These people then complained to Housing, who did nothing. There were many different occurrences and some of them were daily (still current), Housing’s inaction has put many lives in danger.
After trying new location-based applications, I noticed there were other members of the same community who were having their own problems. This is what led me to creating the petition and its connected networks. It may not be anonymous but standing together as a community who is sharing a common goal, should make Housing see that we all need help and that their inaction has not gone unnoticed”.
The petition has been created for everyone and anyone to sign, it will then be given to the Consumer, Trader & Tenancy Tribunal, the Registrar of Community Housing and the NSW Department of Housing. Anyone can add/join/post/share their location of concern and Postcode on the Facebook Page and/or on the Petition.
If the above links/URL’S are not accessible:
Petition: http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/consumer-trader-tenancy-tribunal-and-registrar-of-community-housing-make-the-nsw-department-of-housing-give-duty-of-care
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/DutyOfCare
**Posted using BlogPress from the Desk of The Hunter Citizen**
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