MELTON public housing tenants could pay higher rents and stock could be sold off in the wake of a damning report into the management of public housing.
The Victorian Auditor-General’s Access to Public Housing report found a disturbing lack of planning and a system close to collapse with about 10,000 properties almost obsolete.
About 127,000 people live in 65,000 public housing dwellings across Victoria, and a further 38,000 are on a lengthy waiting list.
Auditor-General Des Pearson found the public housing situation was dire.
His report slammed the housing division of the Human Services Department for reducing acquisitions and preventive maintenance at the expense of longer-term strategies – problems, it said, were known about since 2006. “The division now has an estimated 10,000 properties – 14per cent of the portfolio – nearing obsolescence and a significant maintenance liability.”
Housing Minister Wendy Lovell said Labor had ignored the problems for more than a decade. She flagged possible changes such as higher rents for tenants, currently paying no more than 25per cent of their income. The government may also rely on charities stepping in to fill the gaps.
Melton resident Maria, who did not want her last name used, said the support available for public housing was rapidly decreasing. Having once applied for public housing, she knows how difficult it can be. She said private rental properties were also hard to secure if there had been a history of family violence. “If there’s the likelihood of damage to the property, well, it makes it hard with landlords.” She said federal funding provided to support agencies didn’t last due to the crush of people seeking the support. “There’s a high demand for finding a place to live due to the cost of rental properties and a loss of income, domestic violence and other forms of crisis.”
According to DHS, there are 596 public housing dwellings in Melton. -Benjamin Millar and Andria Cozza
