THE state government is selling off public housing in Werribee’s Heathdale estate while the city’s rental crisis continues to bite.
The sales have meant Wyndham’s total public housing stock has remained unchanged since 2010, despite the addition of 530 new public housing dwellings across the north-west region, which covers Wyndham, Melton, Hume and Brimbank, last year.
A spokeswoman for Housing Minister Wendy Lovell would not specify how many public housing properties in Wyndham had been sold last financial year, but said houses were sold according to supply and demand. Revenue from sales was not necessarily reinvested in the same area.
The spokeswoman said there were about 1000 social housing properties in Wyndham, run by the department or by not-for-profit agencies. The most recent government acquisition was in February this year.
Yarra Community Housing western manager Brett Bedson said population growth had outstripped public housing supply and no locally provided crisis accommodation was available.
“There is a limited safety net for those in the area forced out of private rental or home ownership by increasing rents and changes in economic circumstances,” he said.
Werribee Support and Housing chief executive Carol Muir said Wyndham’s public housing needs were being ignored. “Our concern is for clients to have affordable accommodation but the only option we have are private rentals.”
Ms Muir said governments were trimming back public housing investment nationwide.
“Within Wyndham, and all the growth happening out here, it just puts the municipality further and further behind.”
Department of Human Services data reveals 3688 people were waiting for public housing through the department’s Sunshine office in June, down from 178 in March, while 720 were waiting for a transfer. But Werribee Support and Housing estimates 966 people were on the waiting list in Wyndham alone.
Tarneit Labor MP Tim Pallas said Wyndham’s shelter shortage was a major issue.
“Both state and federal governments need to be part of the solution to fix the problem.”
