Homeswest stories

My 53 year old friend lives in a inner city 'apartment' supplied by Govt Housing Department Homeswest.

He has recently put in for a transfer as have around half of the dozen tenants from the double storey apartment block. He has lived there for around 20 years. I feel a bit guilty as I was the one who recommended he apply for Homeswest all those years ago.

Barely a week or should I say a day goes by without the Police being called - mostly for the noise and aggressive violence.

The complex was renovated around 3 years ago to a high standard though it's only a single room and a kitchen / living room. After 3 years some of the units inside now seemingly look as bad as before the renovation.

A few years back I went around to see him and I met so and so.

He looked a bit on the rough side and was strongly built.

When he left my mate said this is ..... later I found out he was an ex con who served many years for killing a cop in a rage. True story.

Anyway last week he told me of another happening that pretty sums up the character of a few of the tenants living there.

His downstairs older male neighbour who I have not met was asked by his 30 year old neighbour if he could use his electricity for a while as he'd been cut off the grid.

His neighbour agreed and a long extension cord was connected between the two apartments for a month or two

When the guy got his electric bill in he went into shock. Normally his bill is around 120 dollars but this one was 800 dollars

His neighbour was growing pot and the lights he was using to grow them are seemingly very powerful.

The guy wants to be reimbursed but his neighbour is unemployed and has debts.

There is a expensive apartment complex next door built only a few years ago and their tenants after a recent event last week are demanding the Homeswest unit block be closed down.

What happened was a guy wanted in to see his girlfriend but she refused so he proceeded to try to break the door down! Lucky her door is a special reinforced door and he was unsuccessful. It took 45 minutes for the cops to turn up as my mate this time said he's sick of ringing them. 12 cops in total were present.

He struggles to get to sleep at night due to the constant noise despite living in one of the end units.

The policy of Homeswest seems to be to house many ex cons there.

Perhaps a block on the outskirts or in the country where the noise would not be heard is a better solution.

I could go on and on.

Homeswest houses should go firstly to families with kids disabled and old people.
pretty much every other demographic that wants one is too proud to live in a share house which is not the public's issue, our tax dollars should primarily be used on those that need it not select to milk the system.
That being said there is no where near the amount of public housing available that there needs to be and further the living costs for middle aged people who want to live solo are offensive.
A friend I gre up with had three kids and wife died , he couldn't work and had to raise the kids it took him two years to get into a Homeswest house and he racked up debt off everyone he knew to keep his family together.
university educated and a proper family man........... three kids and him and he got a two bedroom townhouse and is the happiest man I know...................
if you were to interview all the people in the flats or high density units it's probably only 30% of them who should be there...........
Meanwhile there's people who are legitimately struggling with sick partners and kids and war vets and themselves sick and they are in a waiting list for three years....
yes there may be a bit of noise and **** going down there but when there are good people shifting there families from couch to couch and sleeping in cars and tents in the bush living off noodles with no power or running water you have to really analyse the complaints of someone paying $50 a week rent...............

I had a friend who lived in public housing. He once told me he had to get out. Even though he couldn't afford to, he found it a cycle of poverty. Every one was unemployed and depressed. There was no motivation to get out or get a job, do he felt stuck.

He said he needed to live hard for a while to get out and he'd be forced to find any Job. That way his mind would be forced to be active.

Unfortunately he didn't try and it didn't end well.

If they commit a crime on the site you'd think theyd be evicted.

But it doesn't look like eviction happens easily. They need to have consequence on their actions.

Sounds like he is in pretty bloody good Homeswest actually.

There is not any tough love in the social safety net. Often this is the best and only option.

They need to be harder, to protect the frail and one's that are physically unable to find other options.

Bring back the work for the dole. Use them for environmental projects. That'll keep them busy and create direction in their life.

Hope everything works out for your mate. Life can be hard and it sounds like he needs a break. There are a lot of hard hearted people in this world who should be a little more sympathetic to decent people who are doing it tough.

Nothing worse in life coming home to disrespectful neighbours, I'd rather live in a shed in the middle of a paddock than somewhere with creature comforts but fark heads around me, I grew up amongst these scumbags, no regard for themselves or you, I've put a few to sleep for a minute or two to get some respect