Public Housing Tenants face uncertain future

About 40 families living in a Lilyfeld public housing estate are facing an uncertain future over Christmas after being told their homes are to be redeveloped. A Department of Housing offcial delivered residents a letter telling them of the news last week. The homes along Balmain Road and Edward Street, which are more than 40 years old, are to be demolished to make way for new public housing units. Premier Morris Iemma announced the $21million development after a cabinet meeting in Leichhardt yesterday as part of a $50 million plans to build 228 more Inner West public housing homes. Lilyfeld residents will be relocated in three months to two years time and given individual help to fnd a new home. The new buildings are not expected to be completed until 2011. Leichhardt Labor Councillor Robert Webb, who has been living in the estate for 22 years, said the buildings were old and in need of repair, but he was worried there would not be enough local public housing to cope with the relocations. We ask the question, is Waterloo next? The Department of Housing track record of redeveloping public housing estates is not good. Just ask people from Minto.

Source: Have You Heard? Edited by Trevor Davies in South Sydney Herald December 2006