29 April 2014

Good people live here

| Angela Hutton
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‘Good people live here.’ So it says in foot-high letters scrawled on a wall of the Bega Court flats in Reid. I saw it as I drove past this morning and it made me feel a bit sad for the good folk of Bega Court and those like them in similar flats across Canberra. I wondered who wrote it, but not why – it’s easy enough to guess. I also felt a twinge of guilt – probably all of us have made judgements about people we don’t know based on their home, looks or lifestyle. Hats off to the unknown sign-writer.

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Kiriel said :

One of the ways in which Canberra has succeeded with public housing compared to many cities is that it has traditionally spread public housing throughout the city- there are government houses in Yarralumla for example. The few failures occurred when when huge numbers of disadvantaged people were housed all together, creating slums. Whether housed in inner or outer Canberra, it is important that people are placed where they can live with dignity, not treated like lepers to be cast out.

Well they are about to repeat those mistakes along Flemington Rd. Among the apartment blocks etc there are one or two developments that look like Bernie Court all over again.

One of the ways in which Canberra has succeeded with public housing compared to many cities is that it has traditionally spread public housing throughout the city- there are government houses in Yarralumla for example. The few failures occurred when when huge numbers of disadvantaged people were housed all together, creating slums. Whether housed in inner or outer Canberra, it is important that people are placed where they can live with dignity, not treated like lepers to be cast out.

Primal said :

Ryoma said :

My point being – when the ABC flats are redeveloped, where does the ACT government (and the Canberra community generally) intend for the people currently living in this complex to go?

Crace.

Is that in Gungahlin?

I don’t get how anyone could think it a bad idea to move public housing outside of the Canberra CBD. I am not advocating for creating a giant Gungahlin slum, but it is inconceivable why there is such a massive public housing population in the most desirable location (for most) in Canberra.

Firstly, we could increase the amount of public housing available by selling the land and relocating the current residents to a more cost effective suburb. Secondly, it would create opportunities for hard working tax payers to have the ability to reap the rewards of working hard and being studious with money.

Just to be clear, I fully believe that we have a responsibility to provide adequate shelter for people PROVEN to be at a disadvantage, but the men and women who contribute to the economy should always get a priority.

We need to give disadvantaged people shelter, but our public housing policies should not make it more desirable to stay unemployed and live in the CBD than to get a job and have to move to outer suburbs to survive.

Primal said :

Crace.

Or Franklin, Bonner, Wright, Harrison, or anywhere else where the land value is lower.
The significant rates / land tax from redeveloped ABC flats will help to pay for the maintenance of the new public housing in newer suburbs, and also boost the use of public transport.

Ryoma said :

My point being – when the ABC flats are redeveloped, where does the ACT government (and the Canberra community generally) intend for the people currently living in this complex to go?

Crace.

Minz said :

. Trials overseas (I think it was in Vancouver) have shown that it’s far cheaper (for them) to house a homeless person than pay for the increased medical costs being homeless incurs – and that’s without taking into account any of the less easily-measured benefits to society. If people don’t have a place to live, we all pay in some way.

So you are saying we should ship all the tenants to Vancouver? Good idea.

The money made by selling off all public housing should be enough to buy one-way ticket for the lot of them, with enough left over for a street festival for those of us who have been susidising their accommodation for decades.

screaming banshee4:53 am 29 Apr 14

Minz said :

Two things

a) The highest per capita rate of public housing doesn’t mean that we have enough public housing. Comparisons need to be done to need, not to other areas which likely don’t have enough public housing.

b) Trials overseas (I think it was in Vancouver) have shown that it’s far cheaper (for them) to house a homeless person than pay for the increased medical costs being homeless incurs – and that’s without taking into account any of the less easily-measured benefits to society. If people don’t have a place to live, we all pay in some way.

I don’t think there would be a public housing shortage if they regularly reassessed the tenant and told anyone who had improved circumstances to bugger off and rent in the private market….the idea is to support the needy in their time of need, not be a house for life.

Ryoma said :

I agree with much of what has been said, but as a city we need to make sure we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

My point being – when the ABC flats are redeveloped, where does the ACT government (and the Canberra community generally) intend for the people currently living in this complex to go?

At present, they have easy access to all the different facilities that Civic offers. Few of the other town centres can match it. And away from the town centres, in much of Canberra life gets even more difficult for those without a car, etc.

I sincerely hope that these people are not just dumped on a waiting list, or sent to the outer reaches of Canberra simply because there was money to be made in selling off such prime land. After all, it won’t be most of the public housing people who get to live in the redeveloped ABC space – but those in our community with the wealth to buy in such a fabulous location.

I don’t see why the outer reaches aren’t good enough for public housing but those shouldering their own mortgages and paying rates have to suck it up. There’s a lot of mortgagors out there who would like to live closer to the city centre.

Two things

a) The highest per capita rate of public housing doesn’t mean that we have enough public housing. Comparisons need to be done to need, not to other areas which likely don’t have enough public housing.

b) Trials overseas (I think it was in Vancouver) have shown that it’s far cheaper (for them) to house a homeless person than pay for the increased medical costs being homeless incurs – and that’s without taking into account any of the less easily-measured benefits to society. If people don’t have a place to live, we all pay in some way.

I agree with much of what has been said, but as a city we need to make sure we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

My point being – when the ABC flats are redeveloped, where does the ACT government (and the Canberra community generally) intend for the people currently living in this complex to go?

At present, they have easy access to all the different facilities that Civic offers. Few of the other town centres can match it. And away from the town centres, in much of Canberra life gets even more difficult for those without a car, etc.

I sincerely hope that these people are not just dumped on a waiting list, or sent to the outer reaches of Canberra simply because there was money to be made in selling off such prime land. After all, it won’t be most of the public housing people who get to live in the redeveloped ABC space – but those in our community with the wealth to buy in such a fabulous location.

Does that mean that the graffiti vandal doesn’t live there?

steveu said :

watto23 said :

But people should also be grateful. Especially if they are living in a gov provided home. Yeah its great to live in the city, but if the land is worth money and the gov can make some money from it, why shouldn’t they exercise the option of moving the people out of those flats, they are an eyesore as well.

We have the highest rate per capita of public housing of any capital city as I understand it, I think public housing tenant have done well in the ACT. The reality is that living in the middle of the CBD will become a thing of the past, given the value of the land and opportunities to sell it off, get substantial rates etc.

I don’t understand the entitlements some public housing tenants think they have, I know this is slightly off topic. But the Government is your landlord, if you have to move so they can sell they land.. then you have to move. It’s not your HOUSE. Yes it’s your home and moving sucks, but I repeat it’s not your house. You don’t own it.

Anyone renting privately and if the owner decides to sell the tenant faces the same predicament.

watto23 said :

But people should also be grateful. Especially if they are living in a gov provided home. Yeah its great to live in the city, but if the land is worth money and the gov can make some money from it, why shouldn’t they exercise the option of moving the people out of those flats, they are an eyesore as well.

We have the highest rate per capita of public housing of any capital city as I understand it, I think public housing tenant have done well in the ACT. The reality is that living in the middle of the CBD will become a thing of the past, given the value of the land and opportunities to sell it off, get substantial rates etc.

But people should also be grateful. Especially if they are living in a gov provided home. Yeah its great to live in the city, but if the land is worth money and the gov can make some money from it, why shouldn’t they exercise the option of moving the people out of those flats, they are an eyesore as well.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

I’m surprised they are heritage listed. Those flats were futuristic living way back in the day

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