This article was first published by Southern Highlands News on 20 February 2023. Click here to view the full article.
The sudden closure of the Golf Ball Motel in Moss Vale has shone a spotlight on social housing and homelessness in the Highlands.
Earlier this week Wingecarribee Shire Council issued an evacuation order for Allan’s Motel, more commonly known as the Golf Ball Motel.
“The owner of the motel was given an order to commence vacating their guests following an inspection, which revealed a range of fire safety issues requiring urgent attention,” a council spokesperson said.
He said there were around 10 people occupying the building on Friday [February 10].
“And after visiting the site [on Tuesday, February 14] there are a remaining five or six occupants to move out this week.”
Council building and compliance officers took steps to close the site after deeming it “an unacceptable risk to occupants”.
It followed a fire that damaged parts of the premises earlier this month.
Highlands Community Centres CEO Suzi Kenney said the closure was a sad indictment of the state of social housing in NSW.
“The Golf Ball Motel has been an inappropriate and inadequate housing option for people who have no other options for longer than I can remember,” she said.
“No affordable housing in the Highlands; 10 year waiting list for social housing; no shelters or refuges for people facing homelessness.
“While its fantastic that council is now focused on ‘rehoming’ the Golf Ball residents, what about the hundreds of individuals and families who are facing a housing crisis here and have been for too long?” Ms Kenney said.
She said it was disgraceful that a “condemnable” motel was being used as an emergency housing option for the elderly and women with children fleeing domestic violence.
“At what point did it become acceptable to set such a low benchmark for our most vulnerable?” she said.
“Perhaps with this building gone from our community, the NSW Government may recognise the Highlands as a regional area, in its own right, in need of low-cost housing and safe and reasonable options for emergency accommodation.”
Argyle Housing’s Carolyn Doherty described the Highlands housing crisis as “acute” and said it was forcing people into unsafe living arrangements and street homelessness.
“We know there are many people in the community living in ‘invisible’ homelessness – couch surfing; sleeping in cars and living in unsafe relationships,” she said.
“There is new investment by the NSW Government in building crisis accommodation for women and children leaving violence, to date we are not aware of any of this funding being allocated to the Southern Highlands.”
She says the profile of homelessness has changed; many facing homelessness are actively employed and caring for families.
“Businesses are facing the battle to secure a stable workforce in lower income positions as staff can no longer afford to live in the communities that they may work, and the cost of commuting to these communities to lower paid positions is prohibitive,” Ms Doherty said.
Wingecarribee Shire Council has been in contact with both Southern Highlands Homelessness Service and Argyle Housing since it issued the evacuation order.
“Southern Highlands Homelessness Service [run by St Vincent’s De Paul] have sent a worker out onsite to engage with and assist any guests requiring assistance locating alternative accommodation,” a spokesperson said.
“We have also been in contact with Argyle Housing, who have offered to assist with housing any remaining guests that are having difficulty finding alternative accommodation.”
