THE LESSONS OF HISTORY - PICTURES OF SLUMS

SAVE PUBLIC HOUSING



HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET THE LESSONS OF
HISTORY.

 

 

Pictures of the slums from 'I remember'  by  Oswald Barnett  ( 1883–1972)

 

          
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A friend of Brian Howe AO advised us to make contact with him, to share with him our concerns regarding the loss of public housing via stock transfers and its ramifications, as well as the issue of public tenants' human rights.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Howe_(politician)

'Having met Oswald Barnett, the founder of public housing in Victoria, when I was in my teens I was an early convert on the importance of public housing as an important tool to combat poverty and inequality in Australia.'   Brian Howe.

'It is only the Commonwealth government that can reverse the long term trend away from public housing although State governments are important in managing the stock. The reality is that given the inadequate supply of public housing State governments must try to target their limited and ageing stock towards those most in need. Often people without public housing would be homeless. All those who are friends of public housing must campaign for a new deal coming out of the review by the Abbott government of federal state relations. Australia’s national effort on behalf of low income housing has been shameful and cannot be reversed without a commitment to fundamental reform.'

Brian Howe.

 

LEGAL AID SLAMS NOT-FOR-PROFIT HOUSING GROUPS

Unfair evictions... What is often not talked about is that as a 'community housing' tenant, there can be a 'no cause' eviction clause attached to the lease which means a tenant can be evicted without reason.

WHY aren't transferring public tenants ( and other prospective tenants ) not informed of this by DHS and other service providers / organisations that are supposed to protect the rights of vulnerable people?

 I have seen no accurate comprehensive FACT SHEET informing tenants of the differences between 'community/ social housing' and public housing - including the rights that public tenants will lose if they transfer across. This is unacceptable.

Public tenants tell Friends of Public Housing Vic that they are NOT being fully informed before making important decisions that will impact on their housing rights and future housing security.They relinquish their public housing leases without being informed of the serious implications. Many have English as a second language or low literacy skills.

Instead they say they are being actively encouraged and persuaded to enter into community/ social housing leases ... in line with stated housing policy direction.

http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2015/02/legal-aid-slams-nfp-housing-groups


Claiming charitable status means eligibility for GST concessions. There's nothing charitable about evicting people into homelessness ...

HOUSING IS NOT AN OPTIONAL COMMODITY

JD Hulchanski - Centre for Urban and Community Studies

University of Toronto

"Housing is not just another optional commodity. It is a fundamental necessity for health and well-being, and therefore a problem that is relevant to public policy. Adequate housing, like adequate health care, is a recognized human rights obligation. Households that are unable to generate market demand for a basic necessity in a society that relies almost exclusively on markets, are generating social need (or “non-market demand”). Society can respond to social need only by changing the institutional arrangements that are responsible for the failure to meet these social needs. There are many ways to do this, but relying on so-called trickle-down effects from subsidies to those who are already well-off are not among them."