Member for The Entrance David Mehan is once more putting the spotlight on the social housing crisis on the Central Coast, saying his latest advice was that there were 58 vacant public housing properties across the region, with more than 2,000 people still on the waiting list.
Mehan said there were now 130 fewer government-owned homes on the Central Coast than in 2011, following the sale of several properties and the neglect of more.
“This does not help those who urgently need a roof over their head for themselves and their family or people on lower incomes,” he said.
“The proper solution is adequate supply of public housing and we really haven’t seen the investment we need.
“I know there’s people in this electorate who sometimes say there’s too much social housing, but the reality is there’s less now than there was 10 years ago.
“We’ve got less than we need and by not having enough you have the negative consequence of people being put into hotels instead of being put into a permanent home.”
He said an estate in Faye Close, Bateau Bay, was a prime example.
He said the two townhouses have been vacant since September 2012 due to termite damage, but the property grounds have not been maintained, windows are smashed, and the interior has been trashed.
“The government has sold a lot of properties here but they really haven’t invested back into the public housing for the Bateau Bay estate, they’ve really just given it over to the private sector and the rents are just not affordable,” he said.
“Debbie is just one local I hear from who needs urgent help to be housed as soon as possible.
“She has six children, three with special needs, and is temporarily living in a two-bedroom granny flat but she has to move out at the end of November.”
Mehan estimates there are about 2,600 on the waiting list for public housing and about 200 of those are prioritised.
“Bottom line is that there’s just not enough public housing,” he said.
A spokesperson for the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) said the Bateau Bay property had been vacant since 2012 because of extensive damage and following repairs and subdivision the townhouses would undergo the final approval process to sell.
A statement from LAHC said it was committed to working with maintenance contractors to ensure all social housing properties were kept clean, safe and habitable for all tenants.
Regrettably, the properties at 5 and 6 Faye Close, Bateau Bay, were not added to the regular lawn mowing schedule but arrangements have now been made for the lawns to be added to the mowing schedule and maintained until the properties are sold, the statement said.
As at November 9, 2020, there are 58 vacant social housing properties across the Central Coast (1.2 per cent of 4,760 properties), it said.
Of those vacant properties, 38 are undergoing restoration and another 20 have had maintenance work completed and are now in the process of being allocated to people in need on the NSW Housing Register.
In 2019-20 LAHC says it spent $3.7M to restore 302 vacant social housing properties in the electorates of Wyong, The Entrance, Gosford and Terrigal, which equates to about $12,000 per vacant property.
LAHC social housing that is no longer fit-for-purpose is sold and/or recycled to build new housing or undertake capital upgrades.
One such housing renewal project is at Beane St, Gosford, which is under construction and will deliver 41 new homes to support vulnerable community members.
Sue Murray