Ease Housing Stress

Letter by Dalene Salsibury, Chairperson HAAG in the Age, Wednesday 27th January 2010.

KEVIN Rudd rightly alerts the community about the cost of an ageing society (The Age, 25/1). However, governments can ameliorate the impact of higher health expenditure and anticipated lower tax revenue. There is an urgent need for adequate housing for older people on low incomes. This number has doubled to 112,000 in the past five years. Ensuring they have adaptable, appropriately designed and well-located housing linked to community services can assist the ''ageing well'' process and avoid ''housing poverty'', which causes ill health and premature entry to residential care.

An older person's housing plan at state and federal levels is required.

Also, before we accept the argument that older people will become an expensive burden, do not forget that many contribute thousands of volunteer hours every year, helping to keep many services operating.

Dalene Salisbury, chairwoman, Housing for the Aged Action Group, Melbourne

Tomorrow's tenant could be you

Letter by Beverley Kliger, Ascot Vale The Age October 12 2009.

I AGREE with Jason Dowling (Comment, 6/10) that we are compassionate people; just look at the outpouring of support following the February bushfires.

Sadly, often this compassion is pushed aside when it comes to concerns about housing in our neighbourhood. We need to remember that today's social and public housing is not the public housing of the past. When the housing is owned and managed by a non-profit association, it is high quality, environmentally sustainable construction designed to fit within the local area. The housing is well looked after and maintained as it is the association's key asset and will be used to secure funds for further developments.

Social housing associations work hard to ensure that tenants live harmoniously within the local area.

The tenants are supported and participate in the local community. They are usually selected to live in an area where they have family and social networks. They may already be our neighbours, struggling to survive and pay for basic needs as private rent takes most of their income.

Tenants of social housing could be us if we fall on hard times because we have lost a job, separated from our partner, or had an accident.

Beverley Kliger, Ascot Vale

Rises hurt elderly

Letter by Doreen Rushby, Chairperson, Housing for the Age Action Group published in The Age April 17 2009.

PETER Martin's report on negative gearing (The Age, 15/4) paints an image of benevolent landlords who take seriously their role in providing a social service. Our organisation's experience is somewhat different.

We have had a number of calls from older tenants who are being evicted because they can't afford outrageous rent increases their landlords are demanding. Last week an 89-year-old man who has lived in a humble flat in Brunswick for 18 years was informed his rent will rise by $150 a week from $250 to $400.

We are struggling to find housing alternatives for the growing numbers of older people in this dire situation.

Doreen Rushby, Chairwoman, Housing for the Aged Action Group, Melbourne