The top-floor apartment of 82-year-old Edwina Dawn Horwath in Albert Park reflects a lifetime of memories, filled with framed drawings, stacked books, and glass decorations that catch the winter sun. Like many of her neighbours in the Victoria Avenue public housing tower, Ms. Horwath has called this place home for decades. The looming prospect of packing her treasured belongings and moving elsewhere is a deeply distressing reality.

"I've been really, really depressed about the whole thing. I feel betrayed," Ms. Horwath shared, struggling to comprehend the decision. "It just doesn't make sense to me."

The State's Redevelopment Plan

The public housing building at 150 Victoria Avenue is one of seven such towers specifically designated for older persons, now earmarked for demolition. This forms part of the Victorian government's ambitious long-term program to raze and rebuild all 44 of Melbourne's public housing towers by 2051. These seven towers, located in Flemington, Kensington, North Melbourne, Prahran, St Kilda, and Albert Park, were originally built under the Older Persons High Rise Program and provide dedicated affordable accommodation for vulnerable Victorians aged over 55.

Residents Dig In: Health and Home At Stake

For residents like Ms. Horwath, who lives with emphysema and relies on an oxygen tank, the physical demands of relocation are immense, compounding the emotional toll. "For me personally, I wouldn't be able to move," she explained, highlighting her limited mobility. "I can't do six paces without getting breathless. I'd like for them to stop it. Think it through. Think about the people that live here. We're all elderly."

Homes Victoria recently commenced meetings with residents to initiate the relocation process, but many have met the news with firm resistance. Signs declaring residents' refusal to leave or engage with representatives have appeared on several apartment doors in the Albert Park tower and other affected buildings.

Grassroots Resistance Gathers Pace

The grassroots collective 44 Flats United (44 FU) emerged in response to the government's announcement, uniting current and former public housing residents with community supporters. Founder R-Coo Tran reports significant opposition, with 60 per cent of residents in the St Kilda and Flemington towers having signed a petition against demolition and relocation.

"When they moved here they were told that this would be their forever home," Ms. Tran stated, underscoring the profound sense of betrayal. "They love living here. A lot of them have lived here for decades. One resident is 100 years old, and she's lived here for almost 30 years." Of the approximately 600 residents living across the seven older persons' towers, only a small fraction — 4 per cent — have moved out so far.

Unanswered Questions Fuel Anxiety

Many residents, including those in the Albert Park tower, have been informed they will be relocated to the Barak Beacon estate in Port Melbourne. However, the government has yet to provide concrete details for the remaining residents. Ms. Tran stresses the critical lack of information regarding suitable, alternative housing that would adequately meet residents' complex health needs, many of whom rely on nearby medical assistance. There is also uncertainty about what the redeveloped sites will offer if residents wish to return.

"We do not get answers," Ms. Tran lamented. "They can't tell us — even the basic question of 'what's wrong with this exact building?' 'Why can't the issues be repaired?'" In June, the Victorian government rejected a parliamentary inquiry's recommendation to halt redevelopments until cost-benefit analyses for each site could demonstrate demolition as the superior option. Previous studies by not-for-profit design firm OFFICE and RMIT have suggested that refurbishment could offer better outcomes for both residents and taxpayers, advocating for a case-by-case assessment.

Government Defends Decision Amid Scrutiny

The Victorian government has consistently dismissed arguments for refurbishment, with Housing Minister Nick Staikos asserting that the towers have reached the end of their "useful life." "These towers were built in the 1960s and 1970s, and they weren't built to last forever," Mr. Staikos explained, adding that meeting contemporary building codes would paradoxically result in fewer homes.

Following a parliamentary referral, the Victorian Ombudsman announced in June that it would investigate the experiences of residents affected by the demolitions. This inquiry will examine various aspects, including the transition from public to community housing, residents' mental, social, and physical wellbeing, and the compatibility of the government's approach with human rights. Mr. Staikos, however, has dismissed the referral as "politics," condemning what he termed "scaremongering" regarding the relocation. "There's a campaign of bad faith that has been run around this issue," he stated. "I think it's disgraceful that there's been scaremongering of vulnerable people. I don't understand how anyone could visit the towers and then visit where we've relocated tenants to and could say we're not doing right by tenants."

The Future of Older Persons' Housing

For decades, the Victorian government has maintained a dedicated program for older persons' public housing, encompassing 13 towers across Melbourne. Non-profit organisation Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) fears that the current demolition plan could signal the cessation of this vital program. "What that could mean for older people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, is that they're unable to put down roots in an area, they can't receive aged care in the home," said executive officer Fiona York, highlighting the profound implications. "And we hear from older people every day who are struggling in the private rental market, facing eviction, facing homelessness."

While the government affirms no funding changes to the Department of Health's Low-Cost Accommodation program, it has not clarified the future structure of the Older Persons High Rise Program. The government has committed to a minimum of 10 per cent more social housing on redeveloped sites. While social housing encompasses both state-owned public housing and not-for-profit community housing, HAAG expresses concern. "Although we think there's a place for community housing, it shouldn't be at the expense of public housing," Ms. York stated. "At the moment, what we're seeing is only a 10 per cent minimum increase in the amount of social housing, with no commitment to any public housing."

High Court Appeal Halts Relocations

The immediate future for residents remains uncertain, with a High Court appeal pending. In May, the High Court agreed to hear a class action appeal lodged by residents challenging the demolitions, following an earlier rejection by Victoria's Supreme Court. Until this appeal is heard, Homes Victoria is currently unable to proceed with moving public housing residents into new accommodation, leaving thousands in limbo as they await a definitive outcome.