Residents meeting

Finally, the newly-formed Carlton Estate Tenants’ Association (CETA) has had its first meeting, this occurred on June 20.

We have another meeting arranged for Thursday July 14, from 5pm to 6.30pm, it will take place at the base of the 480 Lygon St building, where Open Door is located.

I encourage all residents of all the buildings on the estate to become involved in CETA. We all deserve to contribute and have a say on things that can be improved on the estate.

Local issues

The newly proposed design and upgrade of the foyer at the above-mentioned building all looks bright and glossy, but it ignores residents’ concerns over safety. There is nowhere in the design to build a security office.

This estate here in Carlton is the only high-rise estate in Melbourne to not have security officers placed in a protected area to assess who comes in and out of the buildings. Residents are outraged with Homes Victoria and the Minister for Housing Richard Wynne. Start listening to residents’ concerns.

I would like to thank Ellen Sandell MP for bringing to parliament the issue of the Carlton Housing Estate continually being ignored and forgotten about.

On a positive note, I would like to congratulate the residents in the housing estate at 495 Cardigan St for their ongoing campaign to get security doors installed at all the apartments. The motion was first mooted over a Zoom meeting with Minister Wynne and a few representatives of the Carlton estate in September 2021. The installation is due to begin before the end of August this year. Residents will now feel safer and more secure, they will also be able to open the front doors without fear of anyone walking in freely. Ventilation is also a big problem, not being able to open the door has created hotboxes in the summer months. Well done to all concerned, great work.

Housing

This is my review of the statement announced from the Minister for Housing Richard Wynne on April 1, (yes, I also thought it was a joke). 

The 90 per cent of local median market rents is a significant departure from the past announcements of 75 to 80 per cent of market rent.

The Ascot Vale and Heidelberg Estates are mentioned as locations in the statement, meaning some, if not all of the housing being built at Dunlop Ave (Ascot Vale) and Tarakan St (Heidelberg) will be allocated to this program. All the other locations that are mentioned were announced under the PHRP (Public Housing Renewal Program) now the BHB (Big Housing Build).

The fact that there will be caps of 30 per cent of household income does not make it an acceptable policy in my view. The prospective residents will not be from the VHR (Victorian Housing Registry), and how they will be selected is specified as being through “partner agencies” which we can reasonably expect to be community housing organisations.

The rents discounts will only apply for three years, after that time it is most likely that the housing will be formally transferred to the community housing organisations involved, adding to their stock of housing, which mostly has been gained through public housing transfers from the state government.

The state government may provide an ongoing subsidy to cover the 10 per cent of market rents, that will continue to rise, or community housing organisations might just go to full market rents to enhance their revenue.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. •