existing in Dept. of housing and living in Suburbia
Posted by: miko/ hawkeye
30th Apr 2010 03:23am
MY name is Miko and I too have the misfortune to exist in a dept.of housg. house. I could go on what it is truly like , but I would fill pages if I would! and not very complementary either... we are lucky to have a fairly large yard , I mean the length is good , and I am a greenfinger my fruit trees are all living in pots /washingmachine inserts and doing well , exept I have a ferral jumping over my fence and helping himself to all sorts of things , so now I had to move my nursery opposite my kitchenwindow I have 2 apricot, 2 cherries, 2Apples,1 tah, lime, 1 white mulberry , 2 europaen plums, 2 diff. peachtrees and some real young stonefruit maybe nectarines with stonefruit you cant tell until they are fruiting the leafshape is the same , most of my trees are young but they all will bear fruit, I believe in permaculture so I have a compostplace too, if you take your tomatoes and capsicum plants indoors when the temperature starts to go down you will have them all year round , they wont die, I tried that with capsicum and it was fine being in a pot indoors , when you have only a little bit of lawn saw silverbeet it will come up and you be eating it in no time and its selfseeding!put a little area apart and try to entice wildlife let the grass or whatever comes up grow and maybe take a reasonable size bowl put some fishgravel inside ,water maybe some waterplants and its amazing frogs will come, it happend to me that way, it was pale green with circles on its body , just make sure you put a rock in it so it can jump outside into the grass area too, I dont spray anything not even for leafcurl it seems not to affect the fruit, but this year I put seasol and powerfeed together and I barley had any leafcurl , A lot of leaves where on the tree which was lucky for me this time , the ferral couldn,t see any fruit so we had the last laugh , and the peaches grew naturally the size of the shop boughy ones and so juicy it was a treat , how many kilos I dont know but lots, I ended up at the saleyards collecting the manure from the lifestock and put that to the trees too , my bibles I read are grass roots , earth garden , warm earth ,small farms ,mother nature ( when I can afford it ) last time $17.00 so most a bi monthly and around the $7.00 but be warned once you get one you cant stop you will end up eagerly awaiting the next issue its extremly addictive and so much crammed full of knowledge you can actually use in everyday living ! so at present I am scavenging things together for my future property like rocks pots and other items , since I have a inventive mind and can put my hands to almost anything , unfortunatly the neighbour who is threatening my cats is also in dhs acommodation would he have had a real estate agent as landlord I might have had more peace , but that way ,cant do anything , the ferral jumps into his yard than into mine , I almost caught him in summer at night at 12 midnight I saw a little light next to my fence and thought thats funny next I knew it went out so I watred in that direction after realising he was ready to jump into my yard in the middle of the night he even helped himself out of the sheds ,anyway I keep my eyes postet! does anyone know what else to put into the compost bin that is organic I wont use artifical fertilizers ! and compostworms are so expensive anyway good gardening to all , lets exchange tips and hints .,Iam on skype text me on 0435721521 , I look foreward to make new friends on skype and exchange idears have a bountyful harvest all of you!....
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Comments 18
Anonymous
Buy a pushbike alarm (there cheap on internet) so every time he trips it everyone will know what he's up to.At the very least it will seriously spook the guy.
sherri
It's sad isn't it that one bad neighbour can ruin a whole neighbourhood. - and that is true whether it is a housing area or private rental or home ownership.
Sadly though people are all too quick to label the whole area as 'bad' if it is a housing area, and just not see all the other examples out there in the community! So Miko, there are people who would tar you with the same brush as your light-fingered neighbour.
It can be difficult to deal with a feral neighbour regardless of the type of housing....BUT all is not lost. I don't know what state you live in, - But I suspect that there is something that CAN be done re your neighbour if there is a lease!
Take photos (as has already been advised), and make complaints to the landlord whether DHHS or private (but don't mouth off to your neighbour or retaliate cos things can get very nasty). And KEEP making complaints - just make sure that they aren't petty things or it will backfire.
If it is affecting your health, get a doctor's certificate, and put in for a transfer. If everyone who was affected by this neighbour did so, then Housing might just decide to move the neighbour instead! - or at least threaten to do so.
It is not a quick fix though, so be patient.
BOY
Kia-ora everyone, i am new at this, and Housing N.Z stuff. I live alone, but have noticed that i have water rats that eat everythinh in my garden, i have a B.B gun an sit at nite and wait for them to come shopping, then i shot them. They seem to go quiet for awhile then they send their relations out, We all have to try and live in peace with one another i think. Thank you.
pietam6
Ferrals! I personally abhor this term...but having lived in government housing for over 17 years, and watched neighbours of friends and family. People are people, regardless of income and you take the good with the bad! It happens everywhere. Being in government housing does not guarantee a certain type of person. Your problem with a certain errant rogue who visits your garden does sound sweet, you are obviously a good gardener and you are paying the price! Your philosophy of organic gardeing is great, and is making the world a better place.
kitekat
I actually put ip a fake security camera, and I didnt have any more problems. How about a dog , they dont all destroy gardens and are great watchdogs. I live in a housing commission area also, but I own my home. There will always be ferrels , they spoil it for everybody .
yaldonet
Hi Miko,
I live in housing commission. We actually have a lovely tewon house. also with small grounds. they are just a good size to keep under control. I do not have a beautiful garden as you do. I will say though I have issues with the housing department on repairs they should be doing. I have a fallen down fence which has been so for now almost over 2 yrs. Someone rode into my back fence. I gace them all the 3rd party details so they could claim back their expenses. It should not cost them a dime. It has not been done. I have a grage door hanging on two scews which could fall on anyone let alone my vehicle. this also has been going on for more than 2 years. A guy came the other day to look at my damamges. A few were reapaired and since nothing. I know there are priorities, but 2 years that is pushing it. they then show us on TV tennants who do not look after the property, perhaps if they repaired and maintained the property as it shouldbe then this would not happen.
Coraltrout
Hi
if you are a member of your local library you can borrow instead of buying the magazines ,if your library does'nt get them ask the librarian where ??
comfrey is good in compost
Anonymous
You are so lucky to have a Housing house I applied and was turned down, Like you I am mimialised costs,my vegable crops by growing my own, I pay a crippling market rent on a propery that has a back yard the size of a average bedroom which in back yard standards is tiny, I grow tomatoes in hanging pots so the grow hanging down which saves me room, I use a planter box to grow silver beet, I use a stack of tyres to grow my potatoes in and this is located by my front door, I make fertiliser by composting food scraps and diluting down with water I love my compact garden but as I drive through housing areas, I have a envy for the people with there 1/4acre section and no inclination to do anything with it. I wish you the best for your garden and hope your neighbour gets a transfer, but I would put up with your neighbour if I could, I hope you realise how lucky you really are,
suzieq
I'm on the housing list and hoping to geet one within the next two years. I am worried that my neighbours might be a problem, but that happens wherever you go, I think you just need to be polite but keep to yourself most of the time, and hope they aren't criminals :o(
19chris51
I hope you get a house soon, I have been in Dept of Housing for more years then I care to remember, but you are quiite right,I have found that if you just acknowledge people they are normally ok, I moved with the Dept nearly 6 years ago, the area I am in is ok, buI find most of thepeople I keep away from and just acknowledge them, its ok, they don`t bother you as long as you are nice, of course there are exceptions, but there is people like that everywhere you go.
Goodluck... :)))
bob1
I just have to say that not all people living in OOH are thieves or low lifes and you will be very surprised but not all OOH properties are located together simply for this fact - not to seem like ghettos. Your house next door may be OOH or the unit down the street - we have properties scattered through all neighbourhoods.
neety
Its great that you have such a thriving garden - I'm jealous! It's a shame that your neighbour is doing those things. Unfortunately some people just don't care about others. Maybe you could mention it to the DHS?
tleekn
Your garden sounds wonderful,i am not good at gardening but now i have a few ideas from you,thanks heaps sorry about your neighbour,but not all housing people are like that.
monna
I agree with you not all people are like that, it always take one to make all look bad.
carton
I agree with Pukpuk.... just be careful and good luck
PukPuk
Unfortunately public housing can be another word for ghetto. When masses of people are residing in small areas, there is a great likelihood of a few undesirables being in that number. But the same happens in the outer suburbs. The only difference is the villans dont have as far to travel to do their undesirable deeds in the closer living areas. Most of these dudes work in the dark. Sensor lights triggering well before they get too far onto a property are reasonable effective but they have to be high enough out of their reach and not shine into neighbours windows.
louotter
I agree with PukPuk living in public housing is living in a ghetto. I have had the fortune to live in my own home in very nice suburbs and have never had to live in housing till 5 years ago. it is so distressing as you only have to look around you and see that the residents who have lived no where else but housing really are a society to themselves with their own sets of rules or views on life. You cannot imagine life in housing unless you have experienced it. I myself always love to go shopping and be amongst 'normal people with the same morals and views as myself' it makes me feel safe and peaceful. Enter back into the estate and you loose all that. I know that no one would willingly live in housing unless it was for dire reasons. I too could go on and on but it all the usual things of smashed windows, break in, domestic violence, street fights and continual police calling and presence. The area I live in has murders and bashings. Scary places but I just have to say it is a roof over your head and for that small thing we have to be thankful.
blondie72
Your neighbour is a thief and breaking the law. Take a photo of him next time you catch/see him in your yard stealing - use your mobile phone or digital camera and then take it to the Police and the Dept of Housing.
Nothing worse than dodgy neighbours in any housing situation!
Sorry I can't help with the gardening side of things, I'm a novice, but my pop is Italian and an avid gardener so I'm his student at the moment...and laerning.
G