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​No place like home

12/12/2019

9 Comments

 
PictureResidents of the Miners Rest Caravan Park face an uncertain future.
By Catherine Watson

IN BASS Coast in the past financial year, the Salvation Army helped 804 people facing a housing crisis. Over the same period, the agency had to turn away another 769 people who asked for help.
 
The figures are revealed in a report to Bass Coast councillors that will form the basis of a submission to the State Government’s inquiry into homelessness.

​The officer’s report reveals the shire’s most vulnerable residents are in the midst of a housing crisis and it’s about to get much worse with the closure of the Capital Motel and Miners Rest Caravan Park in Wonthaggi. 


​The motel and caravan have been the shire’s de facto social and crisis housing centres for hundreds of people over a couple of decades but both will be bulldozed for a new development.
 
Many of the residents of the caravan face a stark choice. There is no community- or government-owned social housing in Bass Coast and the cost of private rentals has risen sharply over the past year as house prices have risen.

​The nearest social and public housing is in Latrobe Valley and vulnerable local residents are being encouraged to pack up and move to Moe or Morwell.

​
The council is seeking government funding to develop a strategy to reduce homelessness and increase emergency housing in Bass Coast.
​The numbers
  • Requests for crisis accommodation in Bass Coast have increased by 47 per cent since 2016.
  • In Bass Coast in 2018-19, SalvoCare Eastern helped 804 people in crisis with housing.
  • In 2018-19, SalvoCare Eastern turned away 769 people seeking help in Bass Coast and South Gippsland.
  • ​Since 2016, SalvoCare Eastern has helped to provide housing to 369 people in Bass Coast who were sleeping rough.​
Salvation Army Client Database
Councillors voted unanimously this week in support of the submission and for the council to play a more pro-active role in developing affordable housing options, working with social agencies such as the Salvation Army or even private developers and investors.

​Factors in the housing crisis include a high level of disadvantage and entrenched poverty, and the lack of public housing, social housing and crisis accommodation. Bass Coast has also experienced a sharp rise in property and rental values over the past couple of years, with few properties available for rent under $300 a week.  ​

​Investment property owners are also using short-term holiday rental market operators such as Airbnb and Stayz.  

 
Councillors expressed unanimous support for the council becoming more pro-active on the affordable housing front. Cr Julian Brown suggested tiny houses might be part of the solution. “Not everyone wants to live in a big house. Not everyone wants to accumulate as many material possessions as they can.”
 
Cr Stephen Fullarton thought it might be possible to convert second-hand miners’ huts for crisis accommodation. “They sell them off very cheap and if we had the land it’s certainly something we could look at.”

​Tom McNish: The last resort. February 23, 2018
“I think we’ve all been blind to homelessness in our area. I was shocked to see the figures for Phillip Island. It’s an issue we need to address.”
​Cr Stephen Fullarton

"I had first-hand experience of coming across homelessness. Three in particular come to mind. Two families with children and one woman in her 50s, all living in cars in driveways. It’s distressing and the issue is clearly getting worse. Older women in particular are very vulnerable in our community."  ​
Cr Les Larke
“It wouldn’t be everyone’s choice but the Miners Rest serves a purpose. I wouldn’t like to be in their shoes where you’re told ‘Out of your caravan and away you go to the Valley’. It would be very demoralising for them. The people there face very worrying times.”
​Cr Bruce Kent

"For big developments, I think one lot should be for emergency accommodation or social housing. In that way we can integrate people into our community rather than them being concentrated in particular areas."
Cr Julian Brown

9 Comments
D Drummond
13/12/2019 10:16:34 am

The government must provide more public housing. Token amounts have been spent. It is not enough.

Reply
sunny
13/12/2019 06:50:47 pm

Totally agree we have not enough public housing and many in public housing should be kicked out once they obtain work or their kids have grown up.

Reply
Nat
13/12/2019 10:29:59 am

I have come across this for years as a journalist and also with our family working in the healthcare sector.
More and more investment property owners are using short-term holiday rental market operators such as Airbnb, due to negative experiences with permanent renters.
The new rental laws coming in for Victoria next year will see permanent rental even more unattractive for these property owners.
Whether part perception or truth, this is the feedback I have received over and over for years.
Unfortunately a few spoil it for the many more respectful renters.
In a major holiday coastal region here, this situation will not change.
While it's true that non-tourist areas such as Morwell will be a better fit for many renters, it's not always possible to just leave if your whole network of life is already established in the Bass Coast.
It's heartbreaking.
In addition, the market has changed. In "the old days" it was viable for new residents to move to escape the high Melbourne prices and easily find cheaper rent and housing prices in the Bass Coast.
This gap is now rapidly closing.
As our councillors are suggesting, other creative ideas for this region need to be explored.

Reply
sunny
13/12/2019 06:47:17 pm

My neighbour's are now turning to renting their holiday house out to permanent because they cannot get it rented enough as holiday rental to cover the rates. With rates rising it is making it harder for investors too. I do not agree with your comment that new rental laws will make it even more unattractive for property owners, it is only about making sure the houses are live-able and up to standard, it still did not even include that you have to have air conditioning or even curtains. I would encourage you to read the new rental laws because a lot more has to be done.

Reply
sunny
13/12/2019 06:49:24 pm

I believe most of the rent rising is due to the increase in rates from Bass Coast shire and the greed of the real estate agents who think we should have prices the same as Melbourne prices. I have been renting for years and have seen more increasing in my rent the last few years than ever before.

Reply
Lorrie Read
14/12/2019 12:47:59 pm

I agree with Cr. Brown. Developers of new Estates should be required to set aside a number of blocks for social housing, and State and Federal Goverments approached to build the houses.

Reply
Ruth Partridge
14/12/2019 11:26:39 pm

Some how Planners or Government or both are besotted with the "1/4 acre with a house" and all the new subdivisions are that and that alone. Our society is not only made up of families with Mum, Dad and two to three kids who all fit nicely into the above mentioned home.
We need new housing developments to provide for the housing requirements of the society that we are, lots of couples, lots of singles and some who would like to share a home with one or two others, maybe, each with their own en-suite.
Tiny houses, bed-sits, two bed flats should all be included in new housing developments but are not, some not allowed!
But then, housing lots are not required to be orientated to make good use of the sun, there is no requirement for good shade trees to be appropriately located on the northern side of the road to shade the bitumen from the sun in summer thus cooling the area by up to 10 degrees.
So many, sensible, permaculture features could be built into new developments at no extra cost and vast added value but our planners do not ask for that. One wonders why not.
And, I think, the only people who can build bed sits are retirement villages. How silly is that! A "bed-sitter" is a fabulous find in London even if the bath and loo ARE shared.
So, are we are too restricted in what our developers can offer in the mix of housing possibilities to satisfy the housing needs of our society? Is that part of the homeless problem?

Reply
ROB
19/12/2019 07:16:13 am

MAJOR PUBLIC LAND SELL OFF

IN THE FACE OF OVER 85,000 HOMELESS, A PUBLIC CRIME

Privatisation is a disaster everywhere it is implemented. We need to fight not just to keep existing public assets in public hands The Andrews Labor government- almost as bad as LNP .. Who can we trust now

Maybe we need a Homelessness Inquiry: Our entire political system!!.. IT’S BEYOND CORRUPT!!. Where is the $7 billion annual stamp duty revenue to be quarantined for investment in public housing ..

Public Housing - Everybody's Business' It seems that people will only wake up to the importance of Public Housing, and the vital social service it provides, when they witness the consequences of losing it. The covert assault on Public Housing via stock transfers, and lack of investment in building more Public Housing is leading to the present crisis.

We have already lost 19,000 properties to Community / Social Housing. - former Public Housing! Either titles or management under Community Housing rules and policies. And the result? More homelessness, more destitution!

The shift away from Public Housing to Community / Social Housing 'solutions' doesn't seem to be working does it

Public housing in Victoria began in the 1950s for returned service men who found themselves without affordable housing and pitched tents on the grounds of the MCG. We have seen a gradual demise of investment in it by successive Victorian government for the last 30 years, but there are countless benefits in public housing for everyone. It's not just a homelessness issue.

Reply
Margaret
26/2/2020 08:09:26 pm

I heard a lengthy interview today Wed.25 on ABC radio about homelessness of women. The speaker spoke at length about the Womens Housing Iniative an organization actively helpng all women in housing crisis. Perhaps Bass Coast Shire could make contact with them.

Reply



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