Part of a website promoting accessible features at a major new Melbourne social housing complex was quietly deleted after a resident complained one of those features was never built.
The $104 million Ascot Vale development was among the first sites redeveloped under a state government strategy that will see dozens of ageing public housing blocks razed and replaced with modern social, affordable and private market housing.
The 200 units in the city's inner north-west — a mix of community and affordable housing — were unveiled in March last year, and builder Built Pty Ltd promoted their standards on its website.
"Accessibility is key to providing easy access for Victorians with disabilities — Dunlop Avenue will have dedicated drop-off areas, car parking, lifts and pathways," the website said.
However, this line was later removed at the request of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing after a tenant asked for the location of the drop-off areas in a complaint.
"There are no dedicated drop-off points for renters with a disability," the department's formal response said.
"The department is requesting the builder update their website accordingly to reflect this. DFFH considers this matter resolved."
The state government's social housing agency, Homes Victoria, also removed a reference to "drop-off areas" from its website following questions from the ABC.
Defects being addressed
The complaint about the dedicated drop-off points was among several issues raised by tenant Jessica Hutchins, who lives with disability, during her eight-month community housing tenancy from April last year.
"They'd advertised this to be accessible, the Dunlop Avenue Estate, and it's not," Ms Hutchins said.
The Ascot Vale building has catalysed debate about the government's social housing plans, which critics say will see the government outsource responsibility for the sector to non-government housing organisations.
"If they're getting it wrong at the first project, what confidence can Victorians have for this massive agenda to demolish the remaining 44 public housing towers across the state?" Victorian Greens housing spokeswoman Samantha Ratnam asked.
In its response to Ms Hutchins' formal complaint, the state government confirmed some issues she raised — like an elevator fault and a lack of phone coverage in the basement — were identified as defects and had been addressed.
"Dunlop Avenue is a new building and there will occur some issues early on, including defects," the agency's response said.
"It is important that renters communicate with their Community Housing Provider on any issues that impact on their livability for resolution directly."
Handrail installation 'quite a hazard'
Ms Hutchins took other issues to her tenancy manager, the Sydney-based community housing organisation Evolve Housing.
"I found no-one was listening to me about problems at the estate," she said.
"I felt like I was a whinger."
Those issues included rainwater pooling on her patio and a complaint that a handrail attached to the stairs to her unit had seemingly been installed on the wrong side.
Separately, accessibility concerns have been raised about a community garden installed that sits at the top of a set of stairs.
Asked to review a photo of the handrail, an organisation that advocates for better accessibility standards in homes described the installation as "quite a hazard".
Bronwyn Trickett, from Action for More Independence and Dignity in Accommodation, added that designated vehicle drop-off points were a necessary feature for people who use wheelchairs or mobility aids.
"It's pretty much imperative for safety in everyday life to have somewhere that is going to be clear of any kind of obstacle or clear of any sort of traffic," they said.
"A designated area is something that will give people peace of mind that they're going to be able to come and go from the property quite easily."
In a response to Ms Hutchins in May 2023, Evolve Housing said it would raise the issues with the builder, "reinforcing the urgency for repair", but the company declined to respond to specific questions from the ABC.
In a statement, it said general defects were "typical of any new development".
Built Pty Ltd did not respond directly to a request for comment, but referred the ABC's questions to Evolve Housing and the state government.
Victorian Greens leader slams government outsourcing
Issues reported by tenants in the building have been the subject of several tense skirmishes between Dr Ratnam and Victoria's Housing Minister, Harriet Shing, in state parliament.
"In relation to accessibility, Built Pty Ltd has complied with the contract documentation, building regulations and town planning permits," the minister told the upper house in May.
"Five per cent of homes at the development are fully Disability Discrimination Act compliant and there are compliant spaces.
"We are also making sure that we can continue to identify defects, which is a standard process, as you would know, for anyone who builds anything to be able to have defects remedied."
Dr Ratnam told the ABC that by outsourcing tenancy management to non-government organisations, the government had muddied the waters for tenants who could previously take their complaints to public bodies.
"It's a classic case of what happens when you outsource and privatise public goods," the Greens MP said.
"People are sent off in a myriad of directions. They're not given clarity about who can rectify the issues and who's responsible."
The Ascot Vale redevelopment began under a project called the Public Housing Renewal Program, before it morphed into a "fast-start site" under the Big Housing Build — a $5.3 billion fund intended to boost the state's social and affordable housing stock.
Ageing housing blocks have been demolished across the city to make way for similar overhauls.
The government argued the redevelopments would lift the overall number of homes at project sites and replace decaying dwellings with comfortable, accessible and energy efficient housing.
Last month, the ABC revealed a number of defects had been identified in a new south-east Melbourne housing block purchased by the state government for its affordable housing program.