Housing ACT needs to go back to basics after botching relocation process

During the past 5 years there have come vacant 3 government houses in our inner south suburb because older residents have died or been moved into care. Housing put new tenants in when these expensive properties could have been sold at the time. It is apparent that only the older people have been targeted. Our next door neighbours have lived in government housing for 28 years and are established in the community. We purchased our house from the ACT Government with the previous tenant having occupied the house from new. The housing tenants in these 4 properties despite the rising valuations were allowed to stay until death or moved into care. Why can’t the people like our good neighbours be left in situ to die or be moved to care when the time comes? In the past year Housing has caused them immense trauma. The health reasons that existed 28 years ago and qualified them for a government house in an area which was down market at the time still exist today.

Public Housing in the ACT is managed under the “Public Rental and Housing Assistance Program” (PRHAP) and tenancies are in accordance with the Residential Tenancies Act 1997. Thus housing tenants have a “mainstream” tenancy experience. This is a good thing but not always. In the same way – due to PRHAP and the ‘’ model social landlord’ approach of Housing, it means that situations that would usually lead to a quick eviction in the private rental market are delayed and spread out with many not being evicted.

This relocation program is just that – a relocation program. It was conducted when the Northbourne flats were knocked down and it’s happening now. In a private rental, tenants would get 8 weeks for “sale or major renovations” and be farewelled. Housing tenants are being relocated to a *new* property and having their costs met.

Under-utilisation of properties is widespread in the ACT. The sense of entitlement for one dwelling for “life” seems to be just as much.

As they say, the ‘optics’ are not good.

I rent privately and every 3 or 4 years we get moved on as the landlord sells up or moves in themselves. At times is has been really tough/impossible to find a place to live near the kids schools etc, but that’s life.
Why do these people who have had the fortune to live in these million dollar properties (for minimal rent) feel that they have greater rights?
Especially after 1 or 2 decades in the same spot, they have been truly blessed!
Enter this expert with a PhD in Korean studies who feels the entire process needs to be shelved because she wants to have her say.
God help us.

If you rent privately, sometimes you have to move and find somewhere else to live.
Why should renting from the Government be any different?
Yes, I know, people may have lived there for 20 years etc, but ultimately you are a tenant, not the owner.
If the Government needs you to move out and has offered an alternate property for you to live in, pack your bags.

Are people who need public housing going to get new properties OR is the land going to the developers?

It would be appropriate if there were already existing premises for these people to go to before they are asked to vacate. That aside, one thing this city needs is more affordable housing. One thing we don’t need under the current circumstances is an extension of the tram to Woden. How about putting that thing on hold and working at getting appropriate living spaces for our more vulnerable people first.

Shouldn’t be a problem for CM Barr and his minions. In the past any older person that questioned his decisions (or those of his underperforming City Council) were mocked as a curmudgeon living in the past and he ran his verbal bulldozer over them. I thought this was the preferred methodology for all his administration in dealing with Canberra residents/rate payers. Should these people move to better accommodation, yes. Is the method for handling this the best one, no. I have sympathy for those older tenants but the world owes us no favours.

In the real world people upsize and downsize through life as the kids come along and eventually leave home. there is no way a tenant should be living alone in a 3 bedroom public housing unit. It’s greedy, selfish and inconsiderate when there are good decent people on the waiting list for a family unit.

So all you need to do is put your fingers in your ears going “lalalalalalala”, then claim you weren’t properly informed?

A large proportion of these people and organisations hear what they want to, they’ve known about this for a long while. There’s nothing more Housing ACT should do except get on with the job of moving these people.

Honestly, imagine expecting for other taxpayers to provide you shelter where you think you’re fully in control of where you live. It may not be nice that some people have to move but they should be grateful for what they’ve been given.