IN response to the letter “Unfair Burden” (Eastern Reporter, January 19), the correct figures on Homeswest housing in Bassendean are not 22 per cent, but Ashfield 19.4 per cent, Bassendean 4.78 per cent and Eden Hill 4.25 per cent.
Dangerous exaggerations and tarring all with the same brush is un-Australian and leads one to wonder what is the real motive behind all this propaganda against good-quality homes for those in need. Is it because there is an estate agent’s agenda behind the attacks?
Manning has been quoted as having a sell-off of Homeswest properties. I guess this would be a real estate agents’ bonanza. But in good local government governance, that raises the issue of where are those good people to go? Perhaps they will be sent to Bassendean.
What needs to be guarded against is that 3 per cent who can cause so many problems to so many residents.
These problem causers, under current conditions, are very difficult to deal with and involve areas outside the jurisdiction of the Town of Bassendean.
In our recent door-knocking, no-one was concerned about Homeswest homes.
Their real concern was the disruptive behaviour of those very few tenants. And quite rightly so. People have a right to good quality of life and living without constant upheavals due to bad behaviour from a few tenants.
What does amaze me is that councillors did not support an affordable housing strategy which would have given the Town a strong foundation to better regulate and have better valid controls of the real problem causers, and to reinforce good-quality housing in Bassendean.
Homeswest homes are built of good quality and there is no real indication that property values are affected by Homeswest homes.
What does affect the quality of life and property values are those few that are anti-social and create disruptions amongst residents and run down the homes. We need to directly and effectively address that.
These may originate from Homes-west properties or any other private rental properties.
An affordable housing strategy would have gone a long way to address those issues.