NESB Housing Taskforce NSW

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Item

Discussion

Action

1. Minute taker

Cheryl

2. Apologies

Lucy Greenacre; Mary Perkins

Accepted

3. Minutes of August 2004 meeting

Cheryl distributed copies of the STARTTS article re refugees being good tenants - needs updating with a table of visas attached and whether the visa gives permanent or temporary residence [visa class visa name permanent/ temporary]

Item 4(d) Training – the courses discussed were recorded wrongly in the August minutes (2 different training sessions got mixed up). Bronwyn (Western Sydney Tenants Service) is still happy to do training (separate from Shelter training).

Item 4(g) Housing Dept Antisocial behaviour agreements - protocols are being developed and pilots will happen in 2 towns ( Newcastle and Wagga Wagga).

Item 5 Auburn Humanitarian Network proposal. No further information available to members present. Mary was to invite community housing operators to this meeting of the NHT. Joseph Ferrer (Fairfield Community Resource Centre) was to discuss the proposal with the AHN.

Accepted with amendments to Item 4(d)

Item 4(b) Discuss at next meeting. Meanwhile everyone send case studies to Mary

Esther/ Cheryl to update STARTTS article for next task force meeting

Annie/ Gamal to send Cheryl a fact sheet and tips for real estate agents

Item 4 (d) Merryn will raise the WESTS training offer at the CSSS meeting on 12 November

Cheryl to email Lucy about Shelter training

Item 4(g) - put this on Housing Dept / NHT consultation agenda

Item 5 - Defer discussion until next meeting

4. Discussion items and reports

African Refugee Settlement meeting on 9 November will focus on housing.

Everyone to provide comments to Lucy as soon as possible at RCOA.

Annie to check with Lucy whether to send the paper to the African meeting

5. Other business

(1) Housing Dept Guarantees Where a person with visa class 202 has no sponsor Housing Dept is now offering to guarantee their tenancy with real estate agents. 12 months ago agents were asking for guarantees but now they just say ‘No’ because person no references. Parramatta real estate agents are now asking people for a deposit if the person doesn’t want the agent to show the property to anyone else. Housing Dept is now offering some kind of guarantee under a new program. Paul Davey (Fairfield Housing Dept) is saying Dept will have 1 refugee officer.

(2) Housing Dept / NHT consultation – 11 November. Agenda items:
security deposits;
new guarantee arrangements;
class 202 visa (refugees) entitled to Rentstart Plus (proposers and Housing Dept staff don't know this);
update on Dept restructure – area responsibilities;
update on acceptable behaviour agreements;
real estate agent issues;
community education/ training to housing applicants about Dept’s services and ‘products’: public and community housing, managing community/ client expectations.

List of people to invite to consultations: all NHT members; anyone else we can think of.

(3) Journalist – Cumberland newspapers. Esther had a request from a journalist researching an article on housing problems experienced by migrants

Item 5(1). Gamal to email this info to Mary? Dusko? Put this on Housing Dept/ NHT consultation agenda (or invite Paul to next NHT meeting).

Item 5(2). Cheryl to email items to Mary and Blanca Benedicic. Cheryl to discuss with Mary.

Item 5(3). Zeena Lateef 9689 5372 – call her to discuss

7. Next NHT meeting

2.30 pm , Wednesday, 15 December 2004 at Auburn MRC

Be there!