By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
AN ENDEAVOUR Hills woman who tried to apply for public housing in Casey has claimed she was told not to bother because there was a 16-year indefinite wait.
Single mother-of-four Catherine (who didn’t want her last name published) said she went to apply for public housing in June last year, but was told by an employee from the Dandenong public housing office not to bother completing an application.
Her claim comes as media reports last week revealed that spending on social housing in Victoria was slashed by $247 million during the last financial year, despite there being 35,778 people on the waiting list in 2013, according to the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services.
The report indicated that the Victorian Government spent $256.8 million on capital expenditure for social housing in 2012-2013, compared with $503.8 million in 2011-12.
Catherine, who is currently not working, said she didn’t apply for public housing after becoming disillusioned by the long waiting list.
“I was actually quite devastated. I’m a single mum of four kids and I can’t afford private housing costs,” she said.
“I was shocked that I’d have to wait that long because I didn’t know there was such a big demand. If I could get on the waiting list, I’d wait my turn, but to be told there was nothing for me was just unacceptable.”
Volunteer carer from the Andrews Centre in Endeavour Hills, Judy Martin, said Catherine was one of countless people she knew of in the City of Casey who could no longer afford private to rent privately. She said the area suffered from a “chronic shortage” of public housing.
“You don’t reduce the amount of public housing, or the amount given towards public housing at a time where there’s such a crisis,” Ms Martin said.
A spokesperson for Housing Minister Wendy Lovell said the State Government had “worked hard” to reduce the number of people in the Casey region awaiting public housing.
“Public housing is prioritised to those people who are in the greatest need. The waiting list for the Berwick region also includes those wanting to move into the area from other parts of the state,” the spokesperson said.
“The waiting time for public housing can depend on a variety of circumstances including the type, size and location that is required.
“Victoria’s occupancy rate for public housing has remained high and has increased from 96.9 per cent in 2012 to 97.3 per cent in 2013.”
The spokesperson said the drop in government expenditure on social housing was largely attributed to the completion of “time-limited” Commonwealth funding through nation building and the housing affordability fund.
Are you on the public housing waiting list? Is unafforable rent putting your family budget under strain? Let us know at editor@starnewsgroup.com.au
