Public Housing Campaigning

HAAG's Position on the Demolition of the 44 Public Housing Towers 

Public housing is an appropriate housing option for older people, as rents are capped at 25% of income, and it provides security of tenure. In September 2023, the Victorian Government announced plans to “retire and redevelop” the public housing towers over the coming decades. 

Our concerns lie with older tenants living in public housing high rises, older people on the waitlist for public housing and/or living in extremely unaffordable private rental, the use of public land, the impact of relocations, and the future of public housing. 

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Barack Beacon Residents fighting demolition of their public housing

Barack Beacon is a public housing estate in the Port Melbourne area, built in 1982 and across the road from Port Phillip Bay. The estate is an example of an unusual housing architecture based upon a UK model that is now heritage protected in England, but meanwhile here in Victoria is slated for demolition under the Big Housing Build Public Housing Renewal Program.

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A state of disrepair – is Public Housing being left to rot?

A HAAG member and Public Housing Tenant reports from the front line of the Public Housing situation.

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Hard lockdown of the Public Housing towers: We need more health care and less police

HAAG was shocked at reports of a “hard lockdown” being enforced by police on public housing tenants in Flemington and North Melbourne on Saturday.  This response was inappropriate and stigmatized low income, mostly migrant Victorians, many of whom have English as a second language.  We note that residents in privately owned apartments in the lockdown postcodes have not been subject to the same level of policing.

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HAAG's Position on the Public Housing Renewal Program 

Housing for the Aged Action Group have always maintained that Public housing is the best option for older people on low incomes, and that we need more of it. The state government’s proposal to sell off the land adjoining 9 public housing sites, and to transfer the management of the public housing properties to private enterprise does not align with this objective. They are calling this the Public Housing Renewal Project, and we agree that Public Housing should be renewed, and maintained to an adequate, efficient standard. But it must remain in public hands.

HAAG's Submission to the Inquiry the Public Housing Renewal Program

Housing for the Aged Action Group has responded to the call for submissions to the Victorian Inquiry into the Re-development of a number of public housing sites.