Brighton East homeless shelter plan: police called to latest public meeting
Police have attended the latest public meeting on controversial plans for a homeless shelter on South Rd Brighton East.
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Police have attended the latest public meeting on controversial plans for a homeless shelter on South Rd Brighton East.
Officers were called in to back up six representatives of the State Government and Towards Homes housing program at last night’s meeting.
Up to 100 people attended the Brighton Town Hall meeting, a week after hundreds of objectors swamped an August 28 information session.
Under the plan, five portable units will be placed on the vacant site on the corner of Barnett St, providing temporary housing for rough sleepers.
But locals fear an influx of “ex-criminals” and “drug and alcohol addicts”.
At last night’s event worried neighbours were allowed only 25 minutes to ask questions.
Department of Health and Human Services representatives promised to answer other questions in writing by next week.
But Liberal candidate for Brighton James Newbury said neighbours’ concerns about safety needed to be urgently addressed.
“We still have a lot of unanswered questions about this flawed policy,” he said.
“And we are still waiting for the government to provide residents with a safety guarantee.”
Meanwhile, a public session will be held this Thursday about plans to build nine-storey private apartment towers on housing commission land in New St.
Thursday’s meeting will be held at Brighton Town Hall from 5:30pm, and also expected to be packed.
Another two-hour session will be held Saturday at the Brighton Recreation Centre from 2pm.
The department wants to construct nearly 450 private units on the site.
They will increase the current number of public dwellings by just 10 per cent, to about 140, while creating three times as many new non-public apartments.
People can drop in to those two sessions without registering.
Information also available via 131172, housing.vic.gov.au/brighton-renewal or housing.renewal@dhhs.vic.gov.au
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