Zelma, Chadstone

“My marriage break up was sudden and unexpected.

I’d been married twenty years with three children; I wasn’t expecting it at all.

We’d bought a house in Wheelers Hill – we’d only been in it a year.

I suddenly found myself with the house being sold under me and I had to start renting privately down in Springvale.

I kept having to move because the landlords would sell up.

I had a heart attack in 2000 and eventually left full-time work.

It got to the stage where I couldn’t really afford to stay where I was because they kept putting the rent up.

Eventually, I got on the aged pension and the only job I had was as a lollypop lady.

As I got further and further behind with the rent, I applied for public housing.

I was already over 60 at that stage and they didn’t want me living in my car, so they put me on the priority list.

That was in April and I waited until August for a place.

They told me whatever I was offered, I had no choice – I couldn’t say, “Oh no, I don’t think I’d like to be there.”

I got into a little bed sitter and had to get rid of 90 per cent of my home.

There was no space. I got in there and hated every minute of it.

But I had no choice, and I was there for 12 years.

One day back in 2004, I got a notice in the letterbox about starting a new tenant group, so I went along to the meeting.

It started with only 8 or 9 people, and I became the Secretary.

I’ve seen it grow and it’s done really well.

It was through the group that I got to know the bosses at the local Housing Office. They helped me get this place I’m in now. I’ve been here four years now, and I’ll be 83 next month.

I’ve also been involved with the Glen Waverley RSL as a volunteer for over 30 years.

I help with the ANZAC Day breakfast and am part of the women’s auxiliary, as their Treasurer.

I like to think I’m doing something for the community. Because otherwise, you just live on your own and feel lonely, and you need something to feel that you’re being of some use to someone.

What’s living in public housing been like? Over time, it has improved but maintenance is still bad.

The other thing that bothers me is that they allow people to purchase the properties.

They’re now ripping down all these properties and building mansions.

All that land that was public housing is no longer – it’s happening so much in this area. And that’s not helping the long, long waiting list.

The department need to bully the government a bit more and point out how bad the situation is.

I can’t really see any other way around it. If they’ve got a lot of vacant land, for god’s sake use it and get the poor devils into homes.”

 

Zelma, Chadstone