Teena Keys battles Geelong council over Ankie tiny house

An Anakie woman who lost her business during Covid says she could be forced out of her tiny house and into homelessness because she can’t afford a permit.

Anakie woman Teena Keys is living off the grid at a farm to avoid being homeless. Geelong council wants her to pay for a building permit which she cannot afford. Picture: Brad Fleet

A family violence survivor who has spent three years homelessand is finally living in her own “tiny home” says Geelong council is forcing her onto the streets because she can’t afford a permit.

Teena Keys was left homeless after she lost her business due to Covid lockdowns and fled an abusive relationship.

After unsuccessfully applying for more than 60 rentals, she spent three years couch surfing and sleeping in her car while trying to rebuild her business.

But in December last year, she built an off-grid “tiny home” on a friend’s 100 acre Anakie property.

“I’d finally found some stability,” Ms Keys said.

“To me, it was a solution … but I’ve got to apply for a building permit, which will cost me thousands of dollars I don’t have.”

Ms Keys said she would be forced to leave if she couldn’t pay for a building permit within 60 days.

And even then the application could be denied and she would be left with even less to live off, she said.

“I’m living the simple off-the-grid solution to the homelessness crisis, but Geelong city council wants me on the street,” she said.

“You just feel like you’re getting pushed down again every time you try to get back up.”

She said council told her she needed to start by hiring a surveyor, which would cost $3000 upfront.

Ms Keys said she was rebuilding her housekeeping business, but with the cost-of-living crunch, it has been a struggle to afford daily necessities.

She used what little savings she had on building the tiny house.

“Financially I just can’t get it done,” she said.

“It’s not like I have that money, and then they could turn around and deny the application.”

Teena Keys outside her tiny home in Anakie. Picture: Brad Fleet

Council’s executive director placemaking Tennille Bradley said council had reached out to community housing providers for Ms Keys.

She said unfortunately Greater Geelong was not immune to the housing crisis impacting people across Australia.

“We sympathise with this community member’s situation and the challenges she is facing,” Ms Bradley said.

“In this instance, we’ve received complaints because the resident is living in a relocatable shed on a rural property, without a building or planning permit.”

Ms Bradley said there were other dwellings already on the Anakie property and council needed to make sure safety and land use standards were met.

“Longer term, we’re working to increase the supply of social and affordable housing,” she said.

Ms Keys, who relies on food banks to eat, said she contacted multiple local MPs to ask for help, but all they could offer was women’s housing.

“There are other women that need that service,” she said.

“I have nice accommodation here.

“I’ve put my heart and soul into it.

“It just makes me sick to think that all I wanted was to have a little bit of stability.”

According to Homelessness Australia, domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women, with 45 per cent of all females seeking homelessness assistance in Australia identifying family and domestic violence as a cause.

Surf Coast Shire is currently running a ‘Tiny Houses on Wheels Pilot’ to seek solutions to the affordable housing and key worker accommodation crisis.

Similar pilot programs are running in Bendigo, Kingston, Moreland and Murrindindi.

A friend of Ms Keys has started a GoFundMe for her building permit.

Originally published as Teena Keys battles Geelong council over Ankie tiny house