Two storey units for the elderly is a joke. These poor people have trouble getting around so how are they expected to climb the many stairs to get to their unit, and with the amount of young families already in Cessnock and the ones moving to the area why are the Department of Housing knocking down their houses to build units. Yes the elderly do need a place to live and so do the young families. If the Department of Housing has so much money why not build units for the elderly and more houses for the many families in the area.

These new units are not for the elderly. The Federal funding has been provided to "construct 20,000 new social housing dwellings, primarily for persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness". They are telling all of us that our development is for elderly people. Why? I believe this is primarily so they can cut back the number of parking spaces they put in the developments and also so we don't complain too much.

These new Units in Lambert Street, front Mills Cresc aswell (majority of HC houses)... Are 2 streets away from Brown Street (where the recent house fire bombing occured and majority of run down HC houses)... 1 street away from the Youth Hostel and a plethora of HC units currently being built up behind Cessnock Hospital... AND 4 streets away from Cessnock jail...... This area was once full of jail wardens homes (I grew up in Lambert Street myself) with old people units around, the area was great, quiet and family orientated.. NOT ANYMORE! It is being turned into an East Cessnock Sin City. When will the DOH learn that putting a lot of HC in the one area does not work!!! ... ALL of the old native Gum trees were cut down over the past few days (trees that were huge 20 something yrs ago when we moved there) trees that housed alot of native birds and animals, now all gone.... Considering Cessnock is the GATEWAY to the VINEYARDS, the DOH building so much in this area is going to be bad for tourism too.

They are increasing Cessnock Jail to house another 250 maximum security prisoners so I hear. I bet you mant families with husbands, boyfriends etc move to this area and get these units. I l ived close to a lot of units for the elderly for almost 15 years and there was no problem but they replaced these elderly people with the so called "homeless young Men" these fellow all had criminal records, others were being realeased from Cessnock jail. Crime rate went up. The drunken brawls every night had police there all the time. We had Lambert street blocked off many time by the police and swat team with drug raids, a drive by shooting, units being fire bombed and the list goes on. this sort of thing tired up our police, our ambulance and fire department as they have to be there just incase! Look what our quiet street turned into! Now they've knocked down the existing 8 fibro units and a private home and rebuild 17 two storey and one storey units. Trouble comes with placing all these people together. Mind you there also another 3 lots of these multi built units going up within minutes waalking distance of each other. I have spent thousands $$ over the years of adding security to my home

Once again the NIMBY's ( not-in-my-backyarders ) are screeching blue murder at the whiff of a Public Housing block going up because they perceive themselves and their area as too 'good' for it. They think that 'those lowly housing commission people' will lower the tone of their area, lower their property prices, cause a 300% crime spike and somehow 'dirty' their suburb with 'Welfare germs'. People need to live somewhere and luckilly as the good Councillor said, "The Department of Housing can do what they like, they don't need council approval," so regardless of Nimby protestations and hand wringing the disadvantaged and elderly will continue to have places built for them by the Dept Housing across a range off suburbs and towns not just where certain people THINK they should be banished to.

Its happening everywhere including Muswellbrook where 2 or 3 of the older two-three bedroom homes are bulldozed to make way for 6-8 smaller dwellings about 3 metres apart with minimal parking. Initially they are going to seniors, thats OK but later on they'll go to younger singles and mentally unstable types. Then they will become mini-ghetto's.

Tell me kiteflyer do you own your own house and if so did you struggle to get it? Or are you on the list for DOH? You really seem to have one big chip on your shoulders. You couldn't be more wrong with what you've written! We don't give a damn about the DOH building new places BUT to put them all in the one place is asking for trouble as has been proven in SO MANY SUBERBS THROUGHOUT NSW or can't you understand that? We don't expect the DOH to lie saying these units are for the elderly because they aren't. I was raised in a DOH home which my mother had for over 30 years but back then the houses were spread out with home owners and there wasn't any problems, they were not all being built together like they are now. I have lived in this area for 44 years and can't believe what it has come to with serious crime. And by the way, it's not one block of units going up so mate, get your facts right and you called the unemployed & the disadvantage some choice names which no-one else has so is that what you think of them?

kiteflyer, Unfortunately It isnt people screaching about HC being built in their neighbourhood... There is A LRGE concentration all around Lambert St already, and now even more. This creates another East Cessnock Sin City.. I lived in HC in Sin City for 7yrs until recently and seen plenty of SWAT, Police, stabbings, fires, theft, kids running the streets etc, the list goes on. Ive been on both sides of the fence and still think lumping HC all in one area DOES NOT WORK... Recently, Ive had my car stolen and burn out up behind Sin City by a KID living in Sin City, The old couple across the Rd had their car stolen, shed broken, again by KIDS living in Sin City.... Yes some DOH people are nice, I was one myself, but some people just dont know Cessnock - I was raised in HC in Hospital Hill (life was good), But now Hospital Hill is a very very different place, and i think that Lambert St is the wrong place to build a lot of these units..... Another thing to mention is, in Sydney (forgot the name of the town) there was alot of HC townhouses built, they ended up DEMOLISHING every 2nd one to cut the crime rate down (that is removing HALF the residents) that says alot doesnt it.

this is exactley what i sent yesterday thisn is happening in orange 12 sites 38 houses demolished 145 units to be jammed in across the city that has been low level bungalo style's housing at least 90yrs in one block 8 house's whereb torn down to make way for two 17 unit block's & a 15 unit block no parking i was told the people moving into these units would not have cars????????

Big time LOL @ Cessnock hahahaha - a dead set dump of a town full of felons. Lived there for 15 years, never again thank god.