Public housing tenants may be forced to share homes with strangers

[share a book]

My mother is 53, hardly elderly. Anyway there are other barriers. My neighbour in public housing once said they have to stay there, who will rent to a black couple with 6 kids and a dog? (her words) and no matter how long her hubby has been employed, who would give them a loan even to buy the house they rent, at market value, with no rent assistance?

[Clementine Grace]

He was not family.

My parents worked their butt's off and still do to have what they have, if they were to lose everything some how or their health deteriorated it would not be a question of would I take them in but a question of when. Our family relies on no government hand outs and never has but they sure as sh!t have paid their fair share of tax. I'm sorry if you feel I have no right to comment on this situation as you don't feel I have any knowledge on the matter but we live in a community where what one person does effects another.

I understand where you are coming from and there are probably some people in public housing that might not need it. I think as a society we should be taking care of our parents and other family members in need (so they don’t need to use public housing), but it’s not always simple. We help out a lot of family members financially, and it’s just an unspoken agreement that my mother will live with us (as she is quite old) when she can’t manage on her own anymore, whenever that may be. Not everyone, for whatever reasons are in a position to do this though.

What if your father was an abusive alcoholic? Or your mother was an addictive gambler? Or either of them had a very difficult to manage mental illness? Sometimes taking people in means becoming a full time carer, i know because I’ve done it. These are very common problems with many people so while it’s a good idea in theory, it’s not black and white for everyone.

[Benji]

My parents have a very large house with a unit out the back and no mortgage. I consider myself extremely lucky that if they ever become too sick to care for themselves there is more than enough room for all of us to help each other out. Same with DP's parents actually, their house is huge.

Not everybody is this fortunate, to have large houses with separate areas and enough room for everybody. I know that people in 3rd world countries do this and that and yadda yadda but I'd prefer not to see Australians living in third world conditions in a rich, first world country.

[marie45]

I understand where you are coming from and there are probably some people in public housing that might not need it. I think as a society we should be taking care of our parents and other family members in need (so they don’t need to use public housing), but it’s not always simple. We help out a lot of family members financially, and it’s just an unspoken agreement that my mother will live with us (as she is quite old) when she can’t manage on her own anymore, whenever that may be. Not everyone, for whatever reasons are in a position to do this though.

What if your father was an abusive alcoholic? Or your mother was an addictive gambler? Or either of them had a very difficult to manage mental illness? Sometimes taking people in means becoming a full time carer, i know because I’ve done it. These are very common problems with many people so while it’s a good idea in theory, it’s not black and white for everyone.

No one is saying that it is right in every situation. But in many it could be worked out. I find people can be simply too lazy or selfish to want to work it out which leaves elderly people taking up valuable public housing space when they could be living with their children. It doesnt always have to be a burden, those extra pairs of hands can be quite a welcome relief in some cases.

[Renesme]

The problem I find is that people have relied on the government for an extended period of time start to feel like they are owed and entitled. A friend of mine lives in a 3 bedroom townhouse which has a small backyard which is goverment housing. She has applied for a different house because she hates having a small backyard and she said "we've been pretty good and put up with this house for 2 years# and it's like "umm you live in government housing if you don't like it go and rent a private one. Like she was doing the goverment a favour by living there lol.

[biscotti]

Just a little reminder whilst I read back through the thread that the rules state that all posts should be polite and friendly
Cheers

[share a book]

Another thing, I think only 3 and 4 bedroom houses are set up to accommodate disabilities. Will a those with one child who has a disability be forced to downsize to a unit with no disabled access? Or with they be forced to have a stranger move in?

[biscotti]

And on that note, closed for cleaning