The ACT Government’s Growing and Renewing Public Housing Program has recently been implemented across Canberra and ACTCOSS have condemned the policy as “heartless”.

Public housing residents living in the Territory may be required to vacate their homes under the program. The ACT Government plans to use the sites for redevelopment or sell them to raise revenue for more public housing developments.

Executive Group Manager of Housing and Homelessness ACT, Louise Gilding, said as of the end of January 2022, the ACT Government have “conversed or engaged” with 687 households about relocation.

Of those households, 580 have been asked to relocate and 274 of those have or are currently relocating.  

“We do have legislative power that says we can require tenants to move. We will find a home that suits the tenants’ needs and give them choices,” said Ms Gilding.

“After all the options have been explored and our offers are still refused, then we may need to take legal steps which may include a notice to vacate, and if the property still isn’t vacated, then we can apply to ACAT for an eviction order.

“It’s not our preferred option and absolutely a last resort. We’re not making people homeless, but we can’t make the decision for the tenants, and sometimes we do find that people choose to move interstate, in with family or friends, or another option at the ninth hour.”

Ms Gilding said there may be extenuating circumstances in which people may not relocate, and the ACT Government considers their age, health, and personal circumstances.

“Moving house is a normal thing that people do – let’s not overstate what we’re trying to do. We’ll help people before, during, and after, and find them an appropriate new house,” she said.

ACTCOSS CEO, Dr Emma Campbell, has described the implementation of the ACT Government’s public housing renewal program as “incredibly callous and cruel”.

“ACTCOSS calls on the Minister for Housing, Yvette Berry MLA and ACT Housing to immediately review the program and to resource independent legal and advocacy services to represent impacted tenants,” Dr Campbell said.

“In recent days, more than 300 people have received a notice to vacate. These are older people, people with chronic health problems, people with disabilities, who have been totally shocked and surprised to receive the letter.”

Dr Campbell said she’s been contacted by residents who are deeply distressed to have received the letters, and that the ACT Government has failed to put in place adequate support for the tenants.

Many of the people contacting ACTCOSS for support have been living in their homes for more than 50 years, and Dr Campbell said the government promised them they’d never have to leave.

“The fact that properties are built on high value land that the ACT Government wishes to sell should not be a reason to order public housing tenants out of their homes,” Dr Campbell said.

“Many of the individuals involved are highly vulnerable, including people with dementia or complex mental health issues.”

While she understands the point of the policy is to build a range of higher quality, accessible homes for vulnerable Canberrans, Dr Campbell said ACTCOSS’ advice given in “good faith” has been disregarded.

“ACTCOSS, ACT Shelter and other community sector organisations had urged the ACT Government to ensure that a proper process for engaging with tenants was established. This would have involved independent organisations offering support and advice so that the topic of possible relocation could be broached in a respectful and safe way,” she said.

“Clearly, this advice has been ignored.”

Dr Campbell said there has been no support offered to individuals apart from a list of telephone numbers, and community and legal services have been overwhelmed by calls from public housing tenants.

“These people are in their 70s or 80s and are up against the ACT Government. They should be provided with proper advocacy and support so they understand their rights,” she said.

“The process should be a discussion of possible relocation, not imposing.”

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