Parents push for removal of rooming house opposite primary school
Concerned parents who fear for the safety of their kids are pushing for the removal of a rooming house close to a Narre Warren South school.
South East
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Concerned parents are pushing for the removal of a rooming house that is directly opposite a Narre Warren South primary school after an increased police presence.
Hillsmeade Primary School parents have taken to social media to voice their concerns about the property on Littlecroft Ave.
They claim the occupants of the house, registered with the City of Casey since 2011, have been involved in unruly behaviour with police and ambulance called multiple times each month — the latest last week.
“I’ve seen some crazy things happening out the front of that house and I don’t need my children seeing it,” one woman wrote on Facebook.
Another woman said she wanted the house to be knocked down.
“It’s horrible and an absolutely terrible spot for a halfway house,” she said.
Another mum, who didn’t want to be named, told Leader her daughter walked a longer way to school for two years to avoid the home.
“She walked to school in Year 5 and 6 as we lived close by and I worked,” she said.
“I was terribly worried about the house as she had to pass by it on her journey, so we decided that she would walk a longer route through parkland to avoid passing the house.”
The woman said her daughter once saw a man wandering around the front of the house at 7.45am dressed in lingerie.
“The house is scary, it’s falling apart,” she said.
“Sometimes it’s quiet, I assume when they are asleep but when they are awake there are intoxicated and substance-affected people coming and going.
“There have also been loud arguments between the occupants and their visitors at the front and around the house,” she said.
The mum said the property should used for another purpose.
“It’s not appropriate to have this type of establishment near a school,” she said.
“The people are unpredictable and anything could happen.”
City of Casey manager of safer communities Daniel Osborne confirmed council had received three complaints about the house in the past 12 months.
“Two requests were linked and associated with the alleged anti-social behaviour and criminal activity of residents and as such were referred to Victoria Police,” he said.
“One request was about the provision of sanitary facilities and, following an inspection by council’s environmental health officer, the premises was found to be compliant.”
Mr Osborne said the council also received a complaint in August 2019 from a representative of Hillsmeade Primary School but the matter was handed to police.
According to Consumer Affairs Victoria there are two other registered rooming homes in Narre Warren South at Harold Keys Drive and Strathaird Drive.
Hillsmeade Primary School and Victoria Police were contacted for comment.
