Housing NSW has been urged to take action over the condition of several derelict properties in Glenroi.
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Glenroi Community Group (GCG) spokesman Neil Jones highlighted one fire-damaged public housing property with a wrecked van in the front yard, saying it was a ‘death trap.’
Mr Jones said the Currong Crescent property had been lived in about four months ago but had since been abandoned and was being progressively damaged by intruders.
He said there was a shortage of public housing in the region and damaged properties should be fixed up before they were damaged to the point of having to be bulldozed.
“It’s like a cancer, you get a bit of mess and it grows,” he said.
“They could clean up the yard and clean up the rubbish so it doesn’t look like a derelict house,” he said.
“When it looks like a derelict house you get people into them [causing damage].
“It’s just one of dozens in the area.”
Mr Jones said the Currong Crescent house was a danger to the community.
“It’s a death trap you know, it’s a bloody death trap. It has been on fire, Housing NSW has a responsibility to protect the community and the kids,” he said.
Mr Jones said he had contacted Housing NSW and been told they had limited resources.
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said about five cars were at the property when it was lived in.
He said the van on the front lawn had been moved from the backyard to be taken away.
“When he came back the next day the wheels were gone,” he said.
“He was taking it away but when he went to take it away he couldn’t.”
The neighbour said a security fence was placed around the property but it had been progressively ‘taken away’.
“The Housing Department is still paying for a temporary fence which is not here.”
Mr Jones said the GCG would meet at 6pm next Monday at the Glenroi Community Centre on Garema Road to discuss the housing situation and the future of the former Kurim Avenue shopping centre site.
He said he hoped community members would attend.
“It [the GCG] is trying to do things to improve the lot of the people in the area but you’re banging your head against a brick wall when you see this kind of thing,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) said the property would be repaired and re-tenanted.
“The Currong Crescent property was substantially damaged by a fire in January 2018. Temporary fencing has been installed and the property has been secured,” she said.
“Property assessments have been completed and restoration works are expected to be completed in July.
“As soon as the works are complete and the property is safe, it will be allocated as per the housing needs register.”
The spokeswoman said FACS undertook annual inspections of each property and did regular client visits.
“Where there is fire damage additional time is required to undertake restoration works to ensure the property is safe and habitable for tenants,” she said.
FACS latest figures [June 2017] said there were 252 people on the public housing waiting list in Orange.
The waiting time for a three-bedroom property is more than 10 years, 5-10 years for a two-bedroom property and 2-5 years for both four bedroom and one- bedroom properties.