Blogs

More Blogs

 

National Wednesday 22 February 2012 - 13:40

Labour: Housing Authority has 'failed' in setting up residents' association

Labour criticizes the Housing Authority for failing in its attempt to establish resident associations in its own housing estates.

Labour spokesperson for housing, Roderick Galdes said the Housing Authority failed in setting up residents' association.

The Labour party spokesperson for housing, Roderick Galdes, said that the Housing Authority has failed in its attempt to establish resident associations in housing estates. He said that the crisis in social housing is not only affecting families who have been on the waiting list for years but is also affecting families who currently live in government run housing estates.

"Although the government dismantled the construction and maintenance section within the Housing Authority, the authority has failed to introduce the promised resident associations in government owned housing estates," Galdes said.

"The majority of residential blocks run by the Authority have no resident association to date.  This has led to desperate attempts by the authority's management to encourage residents to take the initiative."

Galdes added that the authority has left housing estates in a state of abandonment and imposed financial burdens on families to pay for maintenance carried out by government employees.

"Although law dictates the establishment of resident associations, the authority's failure to cooperate with the residents led to lack of interest from the families part."
 
He added that the government is now putting forward internal suggestions which illustrate the "crisis management in this sector."

"Housing Authority officials have gone to the extent of refusing payments of rent unless the residents form an association. This is will not only lead to further disagreements but will also impede families taking interest in the associations. The authority has gone as far as proposing an allowance to encourage families to set up an association."

Print Share E-Mail
  • 2 Comments
Posted by: Drinu — 22/02/2012 18:37:33
I suggest to Roderick Galdes to go explain to residents what an association is. Good Luck!
Posted by: briffy@maltanet — 22/02/2012 17:11:20
So, according to the article the Housing Authority has made every attempt to encourage residents of housing estates to form a Resisents association but in some instances, the residents refused to set up the association. The article says that the formation of an association is a law requirement. One presumes that the same law provides for measures that the HA con take to ensure that this association is set up. It seems that one of these measures is for the Authority to not accept rent from these residents. This would be the first step in the eviction of those residents that are not adhering to the law. Residents are therefore breaking the law and the HA can take residents to court to make adhere to the conditions of lease. It seems Labour is complaining about the treatment of these residents by the HA which seems to be treating them with kid gloves. Are we to conclude that what Labour is after is the eviction of these tenants?