Housing definitions

Dear editor,

I congratulate Hyperlocal News for initiating its series on the role of housing in our society. I missed the first four articles, but have caught up with the last two. Unfortunately, they were sometimes confusing because they used different terminology interchangeably. This led one contributor to suggest that the government had announced a $5.3 billion public housing program. Sadly, not a cent of that money will be spent on public housing.

Instead, it will fund a several projects with community housing organisations and private developers. For example, in one project public housing will be demolished altogether – and replaced by a mix of community housing and private housing. Another project will purchase private housing and provide rental subsidies to make them affordable. None will build new public housing.

Victoria’s Housing Act 1983 was amended in 2016 to introduce a new term: “social housing”. It is an umbrella term embracing both public and community housing. It is used by the government when it really means community housing, thus concealing the fact that public housing is no longer a government priority.

Public housing is owned and managed by the state. Community housing is managed, and sometimes owned, by a community housing organisation. These organisations often provide inferior conditions for tenants, and always charge higher rents.

“Affordable housing” is defined (in the Planning and Environment Act 1987, for those interested) as suitable for specific income ranges. It includes social housing. Yet one of your contributors writes about it as though it is quite separate.

To avoid confusion, it would be useful if your contributors specified what type of housing was being discussed, that is, is it public or community housing? Or something else? It is best to talk about social housing only when it is being used in its catch-all context. If this happened, neither readers nor contributors should be confused.

Jan Lacey

Thank you

Hi Meg,

I am in touch to thank you for the positive article on public housing that appeared in the first issue which was factual and reflected community feelings.

I have been an advocate/campaigner for public housing and saving it from privatisation and sell-offs since 2013 and also active in assisting and supporting communities in Melbourne and Sydney living on the street without homes.

In October last year, as an “over 55” woman, I was successful with my priority transfer application request and moved from a rooming house (community housing) in Richmond to a public housing home in Clifford Terrace, Kensington which I love.

The impact of having a home for life that I will always be able to afford is nearly indescribable in terms of its positive influence on me mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

With gratitude,

Cathryn Murdoch

Love your work

Dear N&W Melbourne, Kensington & Parkville Gardens news team,

I have a copy of your latest news publication at home, and love it. Am trying to remember where I recently picked up a copy.

Don’t want to miss out on the next one, it’s very informative. It’s loaded full with local action. I live in Ballie St, North Melbourne and wondering what the distribution is, so that I can grab a copy every time. Love your work.

Thank you, Zanin

Congratulations

Hello Meg,

Congratulations on the first edition of North West City News. I particularly enjoyed your article on the Abbotsford Street Estate and the new school planned for the site, and your exposé on the state of planning rules in the Macaulay urban renewal area.

Kind regards,

Janet Graham

Dear Editor,

The Melbourne City Council has notified the removal of the entire planting of nine (debold) Tristaniopsis Laurina (Kanooka) trees from Ireland Street, between Abbotsford and Dryburgh Streets, two Quercus Acutissima (Japanese chestnut oak) trees in Abbotsford Street, and two Melia Azedarach (Chinaberry trees) in Dryburgh Street, all in West Melbourne, to facilitate the adjoining new Gadsden construction relating to Planning Permit TP-2016-970/A and Construction Management Plan CMG-2020-70.

The mature Plane trees in Adderley Street, which is wider, are to remain.

While the Tristaniopsis Laurina may be small trees, they are well suited to this location in a relatively narrow street and a narrow footpath and provide the value of shade, privacy and aesthetics in this streetscape. The oaks may well be relatively young but the time required to resurrect even this amount of growth in oaks is significant. We feel that, as local residents, it is totally unreasonable that we should have to wait until the completion of this development for new trees to be planted and for them to grow out again.

We consider the savings to the developer in not being required to protect these trees to be minimal compared to the community loss. Other developers in the area have protected many of their respective trees.

We endorse the Council policy of promoting greening in the municipality but find their behaviour in allowing this degree of removal totally inconsistent. The Tristaniopsis Laurina complements the same species further to the south east in Ireland Street between Abbotsford and Hawke Streets, and adds a whole level of consistency to the entire streetscape. Our rates should not be supporting such an unnecessary destruction of our scarce natural green environment.

Bill Cook