A major backyard mess that caused a neighbourhood stink has been cleaned up, as residents in another postcode come forward to share how they too have been living next to a suburban rubbish tip.
St James Property Cleaned After Media Pressure
7NEWS exposed concerns about the social housing property in St James, Perth on Wednesday. A broken fence exposed piles of rubbish including shopping bags, toys, clothes and food that had been left to rot outside the home in the city’s southeast.
“All the rats, the smell of it, you just can’t stand it,” one local said. Despite residents complaining to the housing department, it was only when pressed by media did workers move in to clean it up.
“There had been multiple visits by my agency, a skip bin had previously been provided — but these issues are complex, its not black and white,” WA Housing Minister John Carey said.
Beechboro Property Causes Ongoing Grief
Now, 20 minutes away in Beechboro, locals say a property has been causing them grief for years. Trash has piled up in the front and backyards.
“The amount of skip bins that have been there and filled up — as soon as they’re taken away, they’re back, the rubbish is back there,” one local told 7NEWS. “It is embarrassing to go past there because of the rubbish. It hasn’t stopped.”
Government Response and Investment
Carey said the department has been taking enforcement action. “Tenants in social and community housing can have vulnerable needs — they have complex issues,” he said. “We both work with them but we also do take action.”
The housing department manages 45,000 homes, most “without concern”, according to the state government. In March, there was more than 23,000 applicants hoping to secure a roof over their head.
Carey said the government has made a record investment, delivering 4000 social homes and a target of more than 9800. He announced on Thursday that eight new social homes had been completed in Falcon, south of Perth.
