Almost 4500 Tasmanians now have an application on the state’s public housing register
Black mould on the walls and windows of a social housing unit complex is damaging the health of a mum and her daughter, as the state’s public housing waiting list hits a new high.
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
NATASHA Richardson is sick of being sick.
The 29-year-old mother attributes much of it to the mould-riddled South Hobart unit in which she lives with daughter Scarlett, 3.
Miss Richardson said she had lived at the unit complex for three years and had had an active application for a transfer throughout much of her tenancy.
“We’re always sick,” she said.
“My daughter is only 3½ and she just gets sick all the time, to the stage where I’ve now moved her bed out of her room and she sleeps in with me, because it’s the only room in the house that doesn’t have as much mould.
“I stay here when I can, and then I just stay with friends or family when I can feel myself getting sick or see my daughter getting sick.”
Social housing resident fears black mould infestation will kill her
Miss Richardson said as well as the mould issue, there was water in fittings and the ceiling in the kitchen had collapsed, which has subsequently been fixed and repainted.
She said she desperately wanted to live somewhere more suitable, and was fearful of becoming homeless.
“I have to have a property, and no one should have to be homeless. It’s horrible,” she said
“I’ve been on the wait list for two years and I do have a lot of areas down, so it’s not like I’m being extremely picky.”
Labor housing spokeswoman Ella Haddad said she had written to the government on behalf of three constituents at the same unit complex about issues they were facing.
“This is more than just general wear and tear, this is about more than just the tenants’ responsibility to keep the properties clean, this is structural issues in this particular unit block,” she said.
“Water in the ceilings, water in the walls, mould in the carpets and black mould which doesn’t come away easily with cleaning.”
Housing Minister Michael Ferguson said Housing Tasmania undertook repairs and modifications to the property in August and September, with further work organised for November.
“The tenant has also been advised on how to better ventilate the property to keep it dry and well aired and how to clean the property with inexpensive and practical cleaning products,” Mr Ferguson said.
“Housing Tasmania provides safe and appropriate housing and encourage anyone with concerns to bring it to the attention of their housing provider so it can be promptly investigated.”
It comes as Tasmania reached another grim milestone as the state continues to battle a severe housing shortage, with a new record number of people on the public list waiting for a home.
The latest housing dashboard figures show there are now 4468 Tasmanians with an application on the housing register, 22 per cent more than 12 months ago.
Among these are an estimated 384 people who have reported as either sleeping rough or staying in improvised accommodation.
Ms Haddad said the historically high waiting list was reaching devastating new levels.
“It continues a tragic, heartbreaking trend under this Liberal government which – all Tasmanians can now see – simply does not place any priority on housing Tasmanians who need it most,” she said.
“The average time to house even the most priority applicants for housing has also blown out to a massive 74 weeks, up from the historic record low of 26 weeks when the Liberals assumed government — that’s almost a year longer for even the most urgent of cases.”
Ms Haddad suggested the state government was not delivering new homes fast enough, with 183 new social housing properties completed in the past year.
But the government has defended its response to the housing crisis, saying it is making an unprecedented investment of $615m in new housing and homelessness initiatives.
Mr Ferguson said 279 new homes were completed in the past year, with other assistance provided to more than 2500 households.
“The dashboard includes people who may already have a home or accommodation but would prefer to pay lower rent, look after a growing family or have more security of tenure,” he said.
“But we know there is more to be done with continued growth in demand for social housing, and we are working to grow our capability to meet that demand with an unprecedented investment to build housing supply.”
Mr Ferguson said the state was on track to build 3500 new homes by 2027 under the government’s affordable housing strategy.
More Coverage
‘Not interested in giving us a fair wage’: Hobart IVF staff walk off job
They support families in their fertility journey, but staff at a Hobart IVF clinic are hoping their employer will support their pay parity with interstate counterparts. Watch their walk-off.
Women struggling to find birth services in Tasmania, committee hears
The first day of public hearings of a Tasmanian reproductive, maternal and pediatric health services committee has found that a lack of resources and options is impacting mothers.