A Few Basic Figures on Redfern-Waterloo Public Housing

This information was provided by Housing NSW in January 2006 and is based a Redfern-Waterloo sub-set of Housing NSW figures similar to those used state wide for their annual report. It provides an overview of the people and the properties that make up Redfern Waterloo Public Housing. It also indicates some of the strategies being pursued in early 2006 by the Department of Housing. It was originally from a PowerPoint presentation and the information has been edited to make it suitable for display on the web.


THE PEOPLE


Who live here ?

                                    Number             % of tenants      % in NSW PH   % in NSW All
Aged over 60                                          53%                  39%                  17%
Aged under 16               674                   11%                  25%                  22%
Single person                                          66%                  49%                  32%
Couple with children         75                     2%                   5%
Single parent families     425                   10%                  19%

Average Occupancy 1.45 people per property = 6017

How Long Do They Live Here?

                                                            % of tenants      % in NSW PH
Lived here for more than 10 years            32%                  32 %
Lived here for more than 5 years              57%                  24%
Moved out last year                                    9%                 (Lover than Public Housing generally)

What is Their Source of Income?

Earned income                7%
Centrelink                      91%                  (28% Disability pension)

Average household income = $337 pw $17,500 pa

In summary

In summary • An older population • Fewer children • More single person households • A stable group of tenants • High proportion of people with a disability • Very low incomes

How do Housing NSW expect it will change?

  • Proportion of single people approved for public housing has declined slightly and will continue
  • And the proportion of people in two person households will increase - one parent plus child
  • The age of the public housing population is trending upwards
  • The proportion of people with a disability will increase
  • Long-term trend over last decade for public housing to focus on people with special needs will continue

 

THE PROPERTIES

 

Public Housing Properties in Redfern-Waterloo

Redfern                         1604 properties              29% of all housing          Compared to 6% in NSW
Waterloo                       2536 properties              92% of all housing

House /Unit size            Bed sit 1 bed    2 bed    3 bed    3+ bed
Percentage of stock       9%       24%      52%      13%      2%

Homes in multi-unit properties not separately titled or serviced       90%
Properties are young and have a long life left - 55% built 1970s or later

Match Between Supply and Demand Comparison of Stock and Waiting list

Bedroom category          34% (Bed Sit & 1 bed)    53% (2 Bed)                  13% (3 Bed +)
Family Composition         54% (Singles)                42% (2-4 Persons)         4%  (4+ persons)

[REDWatch note - Click on link for a map of DoH Properties in Waterloo & Redfern  (PDF 371Kb) CoS February 2007]

HOUSING NSW STRATEGIES FOR REDFERN WATERLOO

  • To respond to the ageing population
  • To continue to build the communities of Redfern and Waterloo
  • To improve and sustain the accommodation
  • To support people with mental health problems and their neighbours
  • To address the mismatch between supply and demand

To Respond to the Ageing Population

  • Housing models that combine housing and support to help people age in place"
  • Physical adaptations such as the installation of lifts and modified bathrooms
  • Engaging service providers to encourage recognition of the needs of public housing residents

Building Communities

  • Tenant employment and IT training
  • Improved security and joint work with Police
  • Community development with University
  • AIlocations policies
  • Encouraging all parts of government and non-groups to play a part
  • A responsive, visible presence - all client service staff work in public housing buildings in Redfern and Waterloo
  • From tenant participation to Neighbourhood Boards

Improving and Sustaining the Accommodation

  • Converting some properties internally
  • Bringing all properties up to standard - to improve life for tenants and reduce responsive maintenance
  • Face-lifts - removing some of the stigma
  • Significant investment in landscaping
  • High-rise strategy - a long-term plan for the physical and the social
  • What can be done/ afford to be done about the look of the bigger buildings? Researching internationally.

Supporting People with Mental Health Problems and their Neighbours

  • Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative
  • Joint Guarantee of Service
  • Offering co-location to service providers and encouraging case management to link clients
  • Sensitive allocation strategies

Improving the match of supply to demand

  • Converting existing properties
  • Redevelopment where viable – but without loss of public housing
  • More flexible allocation strategies

Arranged by Geoff Turnbull from a Presentation supplied by DoH January 2006 - REDWatch www.redwatch.org.au email mail@redwatch.org.au