BOND LOAN INCOME LIMIT LEAVES ELDER WITHOUT ASSISTANCE

BY GERARD MAZZA.

A Noongar Elder who cannot find a home to rent has been told he doesn’t qualify for a bond loan from the Department of Housing.

Victor Ronan, 77, was forced to leave his rental home last week and is temporarily staying with his daughter in East Victoria Park.

Mr Ronan approached the Department of Housing to apply for the Bond Assistance Loan scheme, but was told his income was too high.

The weekly income limit under the scheme is $673 for a single person in the metro area and has not increased for at least ten years.

Mr Ronan receives a pension and works two mornings a week in prisons as part of the Aboriginal Visitors Scheme.

He said he was considering cutting down to one shift a week so he might qualify for the loan, but would prefer not to.

“There’s a great need for an Elder to be in [the prison] to talk to the young guys in there,” Mr Ronan said.

Neither the Housing Minister nor the Department answered Ngaarda Media’s questions on whether the income limit was reasonably set.

New data from the the Real Estate Institute of WA shows the number of homes available to rent is at its lowest point in 12 years.