By Rebecca Peppiatt and Yvonne Ardley
Screaming and aggressive behaviour is the new nightly normal, locals say, from a social housing complex on Ninth Avenue in Inglewood.
The block of 24 apartments was purchased by the state government and turned into social housing last year, igniting a series of problems in the area.
Now locals are demanding the government step in and evict a group of problem tenants and fear the issues will be repeated at a nearby location.
“There are a tiny minority of problematic tenants who behave outrageously, [who] make life hell for their neighbours,” Police Minister Reece Whitby said.
“They need to know [that] they can and will be evicted.”
Residents say there have been 300 police call-outs since the complex opened mid last year.
“A young woman I know who was on her way to work was bashed outside these units recently,” one local told 9News Perth.
Another complex on Beaufort Street, just 750 metres from the Ninth Avenue complex, is also slated to become a four-storey social housing building. The state government says it will be for seniors only, but residents fear that rule is not set in stone.
They have started a petition to try and keep it restricted to 55 and older.
“I thought I was buying in a nice safe neighbourhood,” one resident told 9News Perth.
“I spent more money to do that and this is what I’m dealing with every day.”
Last year a local business owner raised the issue at a City of Stirling council meeting.
“We’re terrified, and have been terrorised by the public housing residents and their visitors for the past several months, and we need your help,” she said.
“I believe this whole situation would have been avoided by making the complex of mixed tenure, which is a combination of private, affordable and social housing. It’s 100 per cent state housing and the disastrous effects on the community are glaringly obvious.”
A Department of Communities spokesperson said the department was aware of community concerns relating to a small number of tenancies at 157 Ninth Avenue in Inglewood and “is working with WA Police and the City of Stirling to address concerns”.
“Communities takes complaints regarding tenancy matters seriously and undertakes investigations, where appropriate,” they said.
“Where any tenancy breaches are corroborated, the department will take appropriate action.
“The decision to terminate a tenancy agreement ultimately sits with the magistrate, who will only grant an order for vacant possession if satisfied that there has been a breach of the tenancy agreement, and that the tenant has been given every opportunity to rectify the breach and has failed to do so.”
The spokesperson said any “alleged criminal matters - regardless of where they take place - are matters for WA Police” and advised concerned residents to report any suspected criminal activity to police.
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