Tuesday, 30 May 2023

 Samantha RATNAM (Northern Metropolitan) (13:04): (205) My constituency question is to the Minister for Housing. Earlier this month I met with Jessie and Mason, who live in community housing in Dunlop Avenue in Ascot Vale. Jessie had been on the public housing waitlist before being offered community housing through Evolve Housing, a community housing provider, which offered a five-year lease. However, the property she is living in has multiple maintenance issues and is not appropriate for her and Mason’s needs, and she is struggling to have maintenance requests met or even to communicate with Evolve’s building manager. Jessie is now seeking a transfer to public or alternative community housing. However, when she was offered community housing she was unaware that signing a lease would mean relinquishing her place on the public housing waiting list. She has only been offered alternative housing at a much higher rent. Minister, are community housing residents like Jessie able to transfer to new homes without facing a rent increase?