Homeless woman gets hit with a shocking council notice: 'It's so sad to see'

Amid the ongoing housing and cost-of-living crisis, some Aussies resort to several ways to live and keep a roof over their heads.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, a woman's quest for stability was met with a staggering financial hurdle.


Teena Keys, who went through an abusive marriage and other hurdles amid the pandemic, is now facing the prospect of homelessness once again.

After three years of couch surfing across Victoria and facing rejection from 60 rental properties, Keys found a semblance of security thanks to a friend.

She constructed a tiny home on her friend's 100-acre property in Anakie, southwest of Melbourne.


compressed-pexels-tinyhome.jpeg
After years of domestic violence and losing her business, Teena Keys built a tiny home in her friend's property. Image Credit: Pexels/James Frid


The modest home, likened to 'a relocatable site hut', cost her under $20,000.

However, the City of Greater Geelong council threw a wrench into Keys' peace, demanding she apply for a permit to remain on the property—a process with no guarantees and a hefty price tag that could deplete her finances.

Keys found the council's objections difficult to digest, considering the private arrangement with her friend.


Keys' ordeal is not an isolated incident; it reflects a broader issue affecting vulnerable community members without a stable home due to various factors like financial hardship, health issues, or personal concerns.

The costs associated with complying with the council's demands are daunting.

'So I've got to hire a town planner first, and of course, that costs money,' Keys shared.

'Then, when I put the application in, it can still be knocked back, even though I'll have to pay $2,000. This is all before they even come to the cabin. I've got to get a building surveyor for that, so the building surveyor alone will be around $3,000.'

The $5,000 sum is something that Keys, and many in similar positions, cannot afford.

'It's not just me; it's about all the other people facing similar problems,' she shared.

'There are women and children sleeping in cars. There are elderly men sleeping down at the river in tents.'


Keys' also highlighted several innovative housing solutions, such as tiny homes, to address Geelong's housing shortage—a 'sad sight to see' according to her.

Her plea for a common-sense approach from local authorities resonated with the need for policies supporting individuals seeking creative solutions amid the housing crisis.

As Keys faces this hurdle, her plight is a rallying cry for a more compassionate and practical response to housing insecurity.

It's a call to action for communities and local governments to work together to find sustainable solutions that protect the vulnerable.

For those who wish to support Keys, an organiser set up a GoFundMe campaign to assist her with legal and living expenses.
Key Takeaways

  • Domestic violence survivor Teena Keys now faces eviction threats due to Geelong council's demands.
  • Keys built a tiny home on a friend's property, which the City of Greater Geelong council is now scrutinising.
  • The council required her to apply for a permit to remain on the property, with costs up to $5,000 and no approval guaranteed.
  • Keys called for a common-sense approach from the council to recognise her situation and not to exacerbate the housing crisis for those who found solutions.
Have you or someone you know faced similar challenges? What can councils do to support individuals like Teena Keys? Share your thoughts and insights with us in the comments section below.
 
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In a cost of living crisis, homelessness and families struggling to afford to put food on the table, this poor woman has tried her hardest to put a roof over her head, she is on a friends property, she is not sleeping in a tent on the council steps or in the street, yet the council seems to want to make it impossible for her to live safely away from the streets.
I thought governments and councils were here to help.. obviously not .. this is a heartless show of bureaucratic power gone mad 😡
 
This is where our councils and govt continue to ignore the plight of vulnerable people across Australia
We have a rental shortage and so many vulnerable people nowadays and these parasites in Councils think they are doing their work for the public
"Shame" on every single one of them
Absolutely disgusting outcome for anyone trying to live and survive these days and we have this pathetic attitude from council denigrates
 
It’s criminal! This is privately owned land, bought & paid for! I assume the owner pays yearly taxes on it?
Surely the owner has the right to help a friend? To be homeless is heart wrenching…. believe me…. I know!
Who do these councils think they are? I hope they do NOT find favour in the next elections. They deserve to be ousted. What is Australia coming too?
 
1718154742541.pngOn the other hand, do you REALLY want to encourage Brazilian-style favelas by allowing unregulated growth of tiny-homes anywhere people want to put them?
 
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In a cost of living crisis, homelessness and families struggling to afford to put food on the table, this poor woman has tried her hardest to put a roof over her head, she is on a friends property, she is not sleeping in a tent on the council steps or in the street, yet the council seems to want to make it impossible for her to live safely away from the streets.
I thought governments and councils were here to help.. obviously not .. this is a heartless show of bureaucratic power gone mad 😡
Councils only think of $$$$$ the more they can rip out of people the happier they are. Lets hope one day the people making these insane laws end up having to deal with them, themselves. Serve them right
 
One way to avoid this council hassle would be to put wheels on this tiny home and then it comes under a different set of council rules. The wheels don’t necessarily have to move the house , they just have to be there to change the status of the tiny house. That way she may avoid the horrendous council costs. The housing crisis isn’t going to improve any time soon so people have to look for ways to circumvent these ridiculous council regulations.
 
I feel for the women in the story as I have survived 2 coercive relationships. Luckily I was able to break out of the way in which I was treated. It took a while to escape though. When I had to move out of my rented home of 15 years last year I had 35 knock backs before I moved in to this tiny home. It is supposed to be a normal size home with 3 bedrooms but is so small even so that we have to place a single mattress in the lounge for any visitors. With my craft work taking up the 3rd bedroom. Without my craft work is necessary for my mental health.
 
Councils only think of $$$$$ the more they can rip out of people the happier they are. Lets hope one day the people making these insane laws end up having to deal with them, themselves. Serve them right
We are trying to replace our shed, the pre drawn plans have been drawn up by the shed company we purchased it from, not wanting to pay another 10,000 for them to put it up. We approached the council, we have to get a engineer to sign off! that will be a few thousand. It's win win with the councils.
 
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In a cost of living crisis, homelessness and families struggling to afford to put food on the table, this poor woman has tried her hardest to put a roof over her head, she is on a friends property, she is not sleeping in a tent on the council steps or in the street, yet the council seems to want to make it impossible for her to live safely away from the streets.
I thought governments and councils were here to help.. obviously not .. this is a heartless show of bureaucratic power gone mad 😡
I really feel for this Lady, however we ALL must comply with Governmental regulations.
 
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Reactions: Jennylolo
I have worked in a planning Dept for Council and I understand a lot of the rules. But this is on a 100 acre property not in a suburban yard. Not bothering anyone or anything. Only way Council could have known is someone has dobbed them in.
Give her a break.
 
In a cost of living crisis, homelessness and families struggling to afford to put food on the table, this poor woman has tried her hardest to put a roof over her head, she is on a friends property, she is not sleeping in a tent on the council steps or in the street, yet the council seems to want to make it impossible for her to live safely away from the streets.
I thought governments and councils were here to help.. obviously not .. this is a heartless show of bureaucratic power gone mad 😡
Its all about the money these days with government and councils. They are all heartless bastards.
 

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