HOUSING Tasmania could face a backlash from the public as it attempts to roll out new public housing projects across the State.
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After revelations that the Launceston City Council would enter a potentially costly legal battle with Housing Tasmania to oppose a five-unit development in Newstead's Wentworth Street, the George Town Council yesterday joined the debate on public housing.
George Town councillor Graeme Neilsen successfully put a motion for the council to write to Human Services Minister Lin Thorp to ask how the future development of public housing in George Town would improve its "amenity and reputation".
"Do we want to top the list (of the State's most disadvantaged areas) or do we want to say to the State Government, `Stop - we have had enough'?" Cr Neilsen asked.
"We don't want our children to be ashamed that they come from George Town." Cr Neilsen said George Town had nearly twice the state's average ratio of public to private housing.
In other developments yesterday, two Newnham property owners spoke out about a public housing development slated for Mount Stuart Drive.
Nicole and Jason Mayne bought a block of land in February to build their first home.
Mrs Mayne said she had been shocked last week to discover two new public housing development were proposed next door and across the street as part of the Federal Government's economic stimulus plan.
Under the Launceston Planning Scheme, only single houses on single blocks can be built in Mount Stuart Drive - preventing the development of units and strata titles.
But Mrs Mayne said she was afraid the development might proceed anyway.
"We chose this area because it was a quiet neighbourhood in a quality new subdivision," Mrs Mayne said. "We understand there is a real need for more social housing developments ... but we don't think it is fair to try to steamroll through existing planning schemes."
Ms Thorp said the State Government was on track to build 193 new public housing units by the end of 2010.
"Not only is this good news for the Tasmanians who will finally have a roof over their head, but it's also a sign of a healthy community which cares for its most vulnerable," Ms Thorp said.
Ms Thorp also announced that the Department of Education site in York Street would be used as a dedicated 20-bed facility for the homeless.
