RESIDENTS who lobbied Cottesloe MLA Colin Barnett about anti-social behaviour and crime at Housing Authority homes in North Fremantle now describe an improvement after a clampdown.
“Over the past couple of months things have quietened down quite a bit,” Fremantle councillor Doug Thompson said.
In June, residents cited “recurring” anti-social behaviour and a crime wave that culminated in a 12-hour incident where six children were allegedly present at the homes in Thompson Street.
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However, the incident was allegedly among many in the past that prompted about 10 North Fremantle residents to say they would consider selling or moving from the nearby private homes at an earlier meeting with the Housing Authority.
Last week, Cr Thompson said Mr Barnett was “very helpful”, and had said he would pursue the complaints when residents met with the former premier on July 14.
After the meeting, the Housing Authority conducted mass inspections as part of a new intensive management program of the houses, at which tenants would only be evicted after three disruptive “strikes”, or one dangerous incident, in any 12 months.
Last week, the authority’s assistant director of general housing Greg Cash said the program comprised co-ordinated quarterly inspections, talking to tenants, fixed-term tenancies and regular monitoring of the grounds and external condition of the houses.
Mr Cash said the first inspections were on August 9 and 10, when department staff looked at tenancy performance, properties’ conditions and investigated concerns.
“Although the initiative is in its early stages, the department is hopeful that it will achieve the positive outcomes demonstrated at other complexes in the Fremantle region,” he said.
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