Lilydale motel: COVID homeless program causes nightmare for neighbours

Phone 000 is the message from police after a Lilydale motel neighbour reported arming herself following months of feral behaviour from its guests.

Lilydale Motor Inn

Neighbours are urged to phone 000 if they fear for their safety following reports a mother has armed herself after anti-social behaviour by Yarra Valley motel guests.

Yarra Ranges police say they have noticed a drop in reports about Lilydale Motor Inn occupants since security guards were employed at the site around the clock.

Nearby residents previously told Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader there was screaming both day and night, violent outbursts, break-ins, drug deals and terrifying behaviour surrounding the motel.

Last month it was revealed a State Government program to get people off Melbourne streets during COVID had been linked to standovers, drugs and prostitution at two Lilydale motels.

The statewide program, which includes various other hotels and motels, was a safety response as part of Victoria’s strict restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Yarra Ranges crime prevention officer Senior Constable Linda Hancock said police had continually told locals to contact police.

She said police were encouraging members of the public to ring 000 and officers would attend.

“We don’t have to make contact with the caller if they don’t wish it,” she said.

She said various agencies had put their clients in the Lilydale Motor Inn and there were clashes between guests.

“There are 16 agencies putting people into that Lilydale motel, from places including the city and corrections,” Sen-Constable Hancock said.

“It’s the mix you’re putting in there.”

She said the eastern region groups including Anchor, Uniting Connections, Salvation Army and Wellways were always in contact and able to talk about was client was a good fit and which ones were not.

But there were also agencies from outside the area involved.

“If you have a family who is escaping violence you don’t need to put them in a place with people who have other issues,” she said.

Sen-Constable Hancock said with the funding being cut off on December 31, agencies had been preparing clients to transition from the motel program.

NEIGHBOURS CHAIN UP PROPERTIES AND ARM THEMSELVES

Neighbours of a Lilydale motel are living in constant fear of its occupants and have had to chain up their properties and arm themselves.

Leader has spoken to neighbours who have told of screaming both day and night, violent outbursts, break-ins, drug deals and terrifying behaviour surrounding the Lilydale Motor Inn.

Last week Leader revealed a State Government partnership with non-profits to get people off the streets during COVID had been linked to standovers, drugs and prostitution coming from two Lilydale motels.

Lilydale Motor Inn and Yarra Valley Motel were contracted as part of the Hotels Homeless Emergency Response program to accommodate people who were sleeping rough.

Leader is not suggesting the Motel’s management have acted inappropriately or are at fault.

And while the program was slated to finish on December 31, the State Government has extended its funding until at least April 2021, with plans to transition the people temporarily housed at motels across the state into 1100 private rentals.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, told Leader since March, locals had been terrorised by those residing at the motel.

The mother-of-two, who sleeps with a metal bar by the bed, said despite constant 000 reports and numerous appeals for help, no one in the government was dealing with the crime.

“I don’t want to live like this,” she said.

“Every day I come home from school drop off I check the cameras to make sure no one is in the house.”

Rules and restrictions on the noticeboard at Lilydale Motor Inn for program guests.

“We’ve had the kids in our bed since April, because it’s so frightening.”

The family and their neighbours have had people try and break into their properties several times.

She said incidents included a man with no shirt in the middle of winter grunting and jumping fences at 4am, while others were breaking into cars at that time.

A woman wedged a stolen car between two trees in the street by accident before dumping it and stumbling away.

Recently there were two men in the street with blood streaming from their arms, she said.

The mum said empty syringe packets were constantly found littered near letterboxes, people would be regularly seen sitting in nearby gardens cooking up their next hit in a spoon.

“The screaming starts about 5pm and finishes about 1am,” she said.

Leader has been told the man police allegedly shot as he rushed at officers with a knife at Lilydale Marketplace on September 15, had come from Doveton and was living at the motel.

The woman said days after the frightening incident homeless charity Uniting Connections sent a letter to some neighbours on September 18.

“Even though Connections denied it, the letter came soon after it happened,” she said.

A letter Uniting sent to neighbours of a Lilydale motel where homeless are being put up during COVID.

The letter notifies neighbours about the program and that there is a security guard, case worker and health concierge stationed at the motel.

The mum said she is worried for her children who she has tried to shield from what is happening.

She said she had previously had to grab her daughters and run inside after a man with a stick rushed towards the family in a frightening incident.

“We were told by police we need to lock and chain up the gates,” she said.

“I thought we lived in a safe suburb and now this has happened.”

“Something has to be done. We live in constant fear.”

Yarra Ranges Inspector Jason Goddard previously said police regularly patrolled to detect and deter any criminal activity.

“These patrols are supported by specialist units including the public order response team, highway patrol, transit police and PSOs to boost our visibility and provide reassurance to the community,” Insp Goddard said.

A Homes Victoria spokesman said the State Government was committed to helping people experiencing homelessness and who are staying in hotels to transition into stable housing.

“Agencies are working with people experiencing homelessness to find longer-term, stable and safe accommodation – with restrictions easing, more housing options are becoming available and are being explored,” he said.

Uniting Vic Tas Homelessness Services senior manager Jenny Smith said Uniting was one of a number of agencies that worked with the Victorian Government at the start of the COVID pandemic to find safe and secure accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.

“We’re working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services and management of the Lilydale Motor Inn on transition plans for our clients who have been staying there throughout the pandemic,” Ms Smith said.

“We have a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour and there is 24-hour security in place at both motels. We would encourage anyone with immediate safety concerns to contact police.”