NEW LAWS CRACK DOWN ON CRIMINAL AND ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN SOCIAL HOUSING

Minister for Family and Community Services and Social Housing Brad Hazzard has welcomed new laws to help protect social housing tenants by evicting people who  commit serious crimes from NSW Government social housing properties.

“The laws passed by the Parliament affirm that social housing tenants deserve good neighbours and people who support the housing system that provides them with shelter,” Mr Hazzard said.

The changes include:

• A One Strike policy in which the NCAT will be expected to terminate a tenancy where it is satisfied a tenant has committed a serious criminal offence such as the manufacture of drugs or the storing of an unlicensed firearm.
• A Three Strikes policy to enable a Notice of Termination to be issued if a tenant has received three strike notices within a 12 month period.
• Confidential Neighbourhood Impact Statements to be considered by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) once a tenancy breach has been proven, to assist the Tribunal to understand the impact that antisocial behaviour has on neighbours and the community.
• A provision for the eviction of tenants who fraudulently claim a rental subsidy and do not pay the money back.

Andrea Galloway, CEO of Evolve Housing, welcomed the changes to the Residential Tenancies and Housing Legislation Amendment (Public Housing - Antisocial Behaviour) Act, which can also apply to tenants in community housing.

“Under the new laws social housing tenants are given not just one but three chances before they risk losing their rental property.

“It’s not three strikes and you’re out, it’s three chances to keep your home, what could be fairer. Certainly, not the private market, where you can be given no reason or chance at all,” Ms Galloway said.

Residents in social housing will be contacted through Your Home magazine and advised of these new safeguards, how it assists them   and what they can expect from the law change.