Back in June 2019, after reading numerous stories and news bulletins about the housing crisis and the homeless sleeping in tents and their cars, I sent numerous emails to those charities and politicians offering my CBD residence for lease or the opportunity to buy it at market value, at the time around $2.3m.
A few acknowledged my email but not one bothered to contact me again. Later in the month the newspaper ran my story, again nothing. Had that offer been taken, there could be a building of several storeys now, housing many. Sue Hickey had even accused her own government of not giving a s__t about the homeless but her silence was deafening to my offer.
The government seemingly wasn’t interested, then in August Roger Jaensch announced that the government had bought the Waratah Hotel, for $5,300,000 (see above).
Apparently the government bizarrely thought that closing down an up and running hotel/motel with a bottle shop, putting many locals out of work, was a better option. Not to mention the height restrictions, not a problem here, plus position, position, position.
It was not only the government’s complete lack of interest that was puzzling but all the charities.
The Hobart City Mission was constantly complaining in the media about the disgraceful plight of the less fortunate and their trouble finding suitable accommodation in the CBD area. The offer I sent to them wasn’t even acknowledged.
Then they bought the Balmoral Inn in Goodwood for $3,380,000; it is quite a way out of the CBD. They also bought the former congregational church at 47 Davey St on 31 March this year. I couldn’t see permission given for that going up several storeys.
