Latest news with #public housing
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gardener finds resident living with 'metre-deep holes' in sad public housing discovery
A gardener has revealed the horrific living conditions a public housing resident has endured for over a year after he knocked on his door and asked to help with his overgrown yard. Nathan Stafford, who regularly clears up unruly yards for free, first knocked on Jason's door last year. The garden on Campbell Street in Glebe, Sydney, had grown taller than the fence, but it was nothing compared to the condition of the property inside. Nathan claims the ceiling was covered in mould, the bedroom has several "metre-deep holes" in its floor, dropping straight down to the soil underneath the home, and the building had significant structural damage. Both Jason and his neighbours told Nathan they had contacted the public housing authority about the issue, but nothing had been done. A year later, after a recent check-in visit, Nathan said there has been absolutely no progress. "On the roof, there's still a huge black circle of mould, like a bubble. There's cracks all through it, and it's ready to collapse," he told Yahoo. "They're fully aware of this serious structural damage for over a year, and no one has tried to fix it." "He's stuck in that little place with no support and is just fading away... He's really struggling." Homes NSW claim property issues weren't flagged last year Yahoo News reached out to Homes NSW about the issues in the Glebe public housing residence, and authorities claim no "formal request" was received last year. "The claim this issue was first raised a year ago is not correct. The first formal request for flooring repairs at this property was submitted in May this year, and work orders have been in place since that time," a Home NSW spokesperson said. Authorities continued by saying contractors have attempted to carry out inspections and repairs, however, were unable to proceed as no access was granted while the tenant was in hospital. "A follow-up visit is now being arranged with a contractor who is coordinating works across a plumber, electrician and carpenter. This will happen as soon as access is permitted," the spokesperson said. "We take the health and safety of our tenants seriously and are working to support the resident and address the concerns raised about the condition of the home." 🏡Grim problem plaguing homes as 'poor living conditions' worsen 🧐 Aussies warned after tradie's 'horrific' discovery in rental home ‼️ Residents warned over widespread danger emerging in homes When asked to respond to the comments from Homes NSW, Nathan said he was in "disbelief" that authorities claimed they didn't know about the issues last year. "I know they were made aware of it last year in July. It's clearly another example of them trying to pass the buck on, not doing the right thing... they just don't care," Nathan told Yahoo. Homes NSW confirmed it is actively trying to get in touch with the tenant and address the property issues. Calls for public housing to reinvest funds back into sector This is the second report Yahoo News has received this month from friends of public housing residents who have endured poor living conditions. The first involved a resident in Coogee, where a 73-year-old man was living with black mould that covered the walls, ceiling and floor of his home. Housing advocates are urging authorities to reinvest funds back into the sector so the standard of living can be improved for vulnerable members of society needing accommodation support. "We used to have a system where public housing rents could only be spent by the government on repairing public housing and maintaining public housing... now it's not being reinvested and it should," Jordan van den Berg, tenant and housing advocate, told Yahoo News previously. "We need to fight for public housing that is good quality, accessible to anyone who wants to live in it, and not just the most desperate people in our society." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Independent Singapore
a day ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Malaysia and Singapore explore GovTech, public housing, and public sector reform collaboration
Photo: Facebook / Rafik Abd Rashid (for illustration purposes only) PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Singapore are exploring collaboration in government technology (GovTech), public housing, and public sector reform to improve public service delivery, following a three-day official visit to Singapore by the Chief Secretary to the Malaysian Government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, The Star reported. He said at the MRSM Malaysia Alumni Association's sports carnival that Malaysia aims to 'learn from Singapore,' where GovTech is already in place, while Malaysia is still preparing to launch its own. He also mentioned Singapore's affordable housing system, developed through the city-state's Housing and Development Board, and public sector reform as two other areas Malaysia wants to learn from. Mr Shamsul Azri said Singapore welcomed the idea of working together and sharing best practices to improve public service quality in both countries. Earlier in his speech at the event, he cited Singapore's average life expectancy of 83.5 years—compared to about 75 in Malaysia—and also urged Malaysians to focus on prevention by eating better and staying active through sports. 'We must remember that prevention is better than cure,' he added. /TISG Read also: Singapore restaurateurs expand regionally amid soaring rents, labour shortages, and shrinking consumer spending in SG () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong balances public housing targets with cost-saving measures amid review
Hong Kong authorities are actively seeking ways to reduce the construction costs of public housing, including a review of foundation designs and the postponement of projects facing significant technical challenges, the city's housing minister has revealed. Advertisement Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin assured in an exclusive interview with the Post that the project review would not jeopardise the overall target of supplying 308,000 public flats in the next decade, as any reduction in homes from postponed projects will be offset by an increase from other developments. 'For each of the projects [with more technical challenges] postponed, I must ask my colleagues whether there is something that can be fast-tracked. We cannot postpone everything, or we will lose the target,' she said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged to cut the waiting time for a public rental home from the current 5.3 years to 4.5 years by 2026-27, prioritising improvements to the city's standard of living. Given the financial difficulties faced by the city's largest public housing provider, the Housing Authority, coupled with the administration's substantial financial deficit and a subdued property market, authorities are now intensifying efforts to lower public housing construction costs. Advertisement Last month, the government postponed an 8,300-flat public housing estate in Fanling, New Territories. Instead, it prioritised other 'more cost-effective' projects in and around the area, which are expected to yield 38,000 homes.
ABC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
East Perth residents rally against planned conversion of Fraser Suites building into public housing
Neighbours of a short-stay hotel earmarked for public housing in Perth's CBD are calling on the WA government to hold open forums to hear their concerns, which they say range from noise pollution to lack of parking. Nearby residents will gather outside Fraser Suites in East Perth on Saturday morning to protest against the plan to covert the 19-storey tower into 236 social and affordable units. Four other apartment blocks in the strata group will remain owners, including resident Ben Stephenson, fear the hotel suites are not designed for long-term living and that common areas will come under strain. "The more people you get in an area it can become a bit rowdy and become unpleasant for people who don't like that volume of people in one particular area," he said. Mr Stephenson said they had been denied proper consultation after the state government purchased the serviced apartment building for $105 million. Mr Stephenson said the Department of Communities had been meeting with people in groups of eight in 20 minute said the process was not working and called for bigger Q+A forums to be held so residents' concerns can be Minister John Carey has previously told the ABC the complex would consist of mostly affordable rentals that would house people on lower incomes like retail, hospitality and aged care workers. The minister said East Perth needed to lift its weight when it came to social housing, having only 3.2 per cent, compared to 11 per cent in nearby Highgate. The public housing waitlist was 22,315 applications long at the end of May, with many representing multiple people. Of those, 7,291 urgently need a home.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Fredericton opening 20-unit seniors housing complex this fall
David Hickey is pictured speaking at a lectern in front of housing development. (Source: Province of New Brunswick) A new public housing development in Fredericton will expand access to affordable housing, said the New Brunswick government in a news release Thursday. The 20-unit seniors complex on Charles Avenue is almost finished and expected to welcome residents in the fall, said the release. The units are coming when finding an affordable place to live is very challenging, said David Hickey, the minister responsible for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation. 'For a long time, government had gotten out of the business of building new homes,' Hickey said. 'Now it's great to see some of these new public housing developments preparing to accept new tenants.' Work is underway on 127 additional units at 13 sites across New Brunswick. Hickey also recently announced 22 new living spaces would be opening in Miramichi as part of three new housing developments. There are more than 4,600 public housing units in New Brunswick including close to 800 rural and Indigenous units. The housing corporation has several housing programs for renters and property owners. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
