The occupiers of NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSW RA) buyback houses in Lismore say they have been given a seven-day eviction notice following their occupation being raised by Page MP Kevin Hogan in the media.
‘The eviction notice comes amid the broader context of agitation by individuals: including Councillors from Lismore City Council and the Federal member for Page Kevin Hogan,’ Miriam Torzillo, spokesperson for Lismore’s Reclaim Our Recovery (ROR), told The Echo.
On January 21, three NSW RA staff, accompanied by an officer from Lismore Police, attended the Pine Street house and subsequently two other locations to deliver eviction notices to occupants informing occupants they had seven days to vacate the property.
The RA staff told the people living in the houses that they were urgently needed to be added to the list of houses in a trial currently underway, to sell via EOI, that will see 31 of the ‘buyback’ houses relocated.
They were also told that, ‘Community consultation with local groups was evidence that the community wanted these houses moved,’ explained Ms Torzillo.
‘In fact the “consultation” was in the form of community outcry following the mistaken demolition of a house in Wotherspoon Street, and the fear that the difficulty of relocating due to cost and paperwork, would result in the demolition of many historic big scrub houses,’ she explained to The Echo.
Speaking to The Echo a member of the Pine Street house occupiers said, ‘We feel responsible for the houses and each other. This has grown from just protecting the houses from demolition to issues of access affordable housing. It is stressful, we understand it is illegal, but to live with security is really important. We are happy for these houses to be moved. There is a way these can be done with integrity and not just selling them to the highest bidder.
‘We moved in because we couldn’t trust the process. It didn’t seem appropriate that these big bush houses were being demolished without notice, or informing the neighbours or the community.’
It is understood that neighbours were assured by the RA that the Wotherspoon Street house would not be demolished, then without notice it was.
‘There needs to be proper communication. We are willing as are ROR to work together. But the RA need to come to the people at Pine Street for a discussion about how the houses will be used, and how people in them will be housed,’ said the Pine Street resident.
Seven-day timeline unreasonable
Residents of the houses who have received the eviction notices have said they will vacate under the right circumstances. However, they have told The Echo that a seven-day timeline is unreasonable.
‘In response to the eviction notices, the occupants of Pine Steet, and others in three other houses in Lismore, have confirmed their intention to vacate when there is real evidence that relocation is imminent,’ said Ms Torzillo.
‘Despite verbal claims from RA on Monday that these houses were needed for a current trial of EOI process to sell relocatable houses, and that the community “wanted these evictions” none of this was on the letter. Furthermore, the EOI process is already underway, with 100 applicants already expressing interest. Nine additional houses added now would interfere with the whole process, and would be unfair.’
No previous contact
According to residents who spoke to NSW RA staff they were told there had been no previous attempt at contact the resident/occupiers of the houses ‘because they couldn’t work out who the “leader” was,’ said Ms Torillo.
‘One month has always been considered fair, this was the understanding from the beginning – shared by residents, ex-owners, and community supporters alike. This idea was also included in an email to RA, as confirmation of the occupant’s intention.
‘The letter delivered on Monday did not give imminent relocation as a reason for the action of the RA. It was a form letter that provided a list of options for occupants post-eviction. Most of these are standardised, and inadequate. The list has not changed despite the housing crisis deepening. Being offered a week or two in a motel, followed by assistance to rent on the open market, and a place on the years-long housing waiting list is not in line with an acknowledgment of the current crisis or the human right to housing.’
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