Homeless woman gets hit with a shocking council notice: 'It's so sad to see'
- Replies 29
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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