GREAT SUBMISSION FROM OUR ALLIES - "DEFEND AND EXTEND PUBLIC HOUSING"

The government is committing 5.3 BILLION DOLLARS of PUBLIC MONEY to private business-model housing, aka Social Housing / Community Housing / Housing Associations. In a post Covid / ongoing Covid world it is predicted that more and more people will need public housing. Our allies at Defend and Extend Public Housing Australia - DAEPHA - have put together a submission addressing the Andrews Labor government's 10 year plan.It is an incisive critique of government policy.

Well done to Howard Marosi,Julie Jones,Joe Toscano and all at DEAPHA.

DAEPHA’S DRAFT SUBMISSION FOR THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT'S 10 YEAR SOCIAL & AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY. Defend And Extend Public Housing Australia submits that the Victorian Government`s 10-year housing strategy does not commit anywhere near sufficiently to defending and extending Public Housing, but that it must do so if homelessness is to be solved, and if high quality homes are to be provided at lowest economic cost for all Victorians. The strategy should commit to:

1. Recognising that Public Housing is the best form of housing which Government can provide for tenants, and for the homeless

2. Building enough Public Housing ASAP to satisfy the current waiting list- maybe within 4 years

3. Continuing to build enough Public Housing as it is needed into the future to satisfy the future demand for Public Housing

4. Then, allowing those on higher incomes the choice of public housing by raising the maximum income allowed for applicants for Public Housing, so that it is equal to that allowed for the Housing Associations (aka “Community Housing)- at present, it is about only 1/2.

5. Then, allowing anyone to live in Public Housing, regardless of their income

6. Therefore, prioritising Public Housing over and above other forms of housing, for any Government funding.

7. Ceasing the Victorian Government`s current policy of transferring ownership and/or management of Public Housing to private Housing

Associations (aka “Community” Housing)- which is privatisation. The current policy includes the Social Housing Renewal Programme.

8. Public financing of Public Housing- from Federal or State funds, not private sector bonds as has been proposed elsewhere

9. Public sector design and construction of Public Housing, via a Public Sector Department- as used to be the case before the current policy of Public/Private Partnership was introduced. Public Housing was then of good quality, and low-cost to the Government.

10. Retaining public land on which to build Public Housing- ceasing to sell off public land to the private sector, and ceasing to demolish those existing estates which are in liveable condition

11. Recognise that current Public Housing estates are already largely vibrant, multicultural and dignified communities, which are well located and connected, but which require protection from stigma imposed on them by media, social prejudice, and the Government itself.

12. Recognise that these basic features of Public Housing are intrinsic, and also listen to and respect the voices of Public Housing tenants and the homeless, who when informed, overwhelmingly prefer Public Housing.

13. Recognise that the more Victorians in Public Housing means less demand on the competitive private housing sector, and therefore lower private sector rents and home prices

What the draft strategy says now:

The draft strategy currently:

1. Would maintain the current stock of Public Housing- which is insufficient for the waiting list, let alone those who would apply but for the long wait, and those who will need it in future.

2. Would grow Social Housing to “meet the need”. This means that it will increase Housing Association properties, not Public Housing.

3. Makes no commitment to numbers of houses or time frames, beyond aiming to reach the national average for Social Housing- rather than focussing on known numbers of tenants and homeless whose needs are not satisfied.

4. Makes incorrect claims that the $5.3b Big Housing Build will hugely boost housing affordability- it will barely meet growth in demand, and does not commit to increasing Public Housing.

5. Says it will have co-investment, and act jointly with stakeholders, which include private investors. It says that “Community” Housing providers will play a central role in growth, diversity and choice, and incorrectly claims that everyone involved in Social and Affordable Housing will need to work together- when clearly the Government can meet its responsibility without trying to satisfy private interests.

6. Doesn’t refer specifically to ways in which it will help investors or the Housing Associations.

7. Lumps together all forms of housing which it provides or assists with under the phrase “Social and Affordable Housing”, and does not clearly define the differences for the tenant in these different forms.

8. Maintains the misleading impression that people in “Social” Housing are all in crisis, and need special help - many are not, they are just people on low incomes. They just need to be treated with respect and located as other renters, and don`t need special services.

9. Says that research, data and evidence is needed to determine the best approach- when there is already sufficient data and experience from our history of Public Housing versus the private or privatised forms.

10. Commits to surveying Public Housing tenants regularly about their views on their housing and Government services, which is supported by DAEPHA, as it allows tenants a voice, and f it is done fairly, will probably prove the case for Public Housing.

11. Identifies the obstacles to access to “sustainable” housing as being services, support and information- when these are fairly minor, and the real cause is shortage of Public Housing.

12. Commits to partnering with local government to boost Social Housing via a Compact- but this will almost certainly involve the State Government pressuring local government to give up land for “Community”, not Public, Housing.

Why Public Housing, not Housing Associations or Affordable Housing.

1. Public Housing provides low-cost rent (25% of tenant`s income, and Government pays for modifications for disabled), security of tenure, and admissibility for applicants, which Housing Associations (aka “Community Housing”) do not provide.

2. Housing Associations (aka “Community” Housing) charge 30% of tenant`s income plus administration costs, modifications are paid for by disabled, with no security of tenure, and they cherry-pick applicants on higher incomes.

3. Hence, Public Housing is superior accommodation for tenants, and particularly the homeless, and Housing Associations are inferior at best, and at worst inadequate. Affordable Housing is even less suitable for many tenants, meaning only shared-ownership schemes with the Government or rents set at 80% of market.

ABOUT Defend And Extend Public Housing Australia : Defend and Extend Public Housing Australia is an organisation which was established in 2016 by Public Interests Before Corporate Interests - PIBCI , generally to advocate for Public Housing throughout Australia, and also specifically to resist the plans by the Andrews Government to continue the long-running process of privatising Public Housing in Victoria.

DAEPHA primarily focuses on communicating this message to the public, to political parties and to other organisations which are concerned with the issue of housing. It does this by holding rallies, leafleting the public and political meetings, broadcasting on radio 3CR and liaising with and participating in other groups.

Convenor of DAEPHA is Dr Joseph Toscano, assisted mainly by activists Howard Marosi and Julie Jones. Contact: defendandextendpublichousing@gmail.com or howard_marosi@yahoo.com.au