“Housed residents blame us for the crime.”
“There are more and more people coming to live on the streets of Obs because they are being fed every day.”
“The litter from those living on the streets is disgraceful.”
“Homelessness is not a crime but the result of a failure in society.”
“Those living on the streets are addicts, they need help.”
“I don’t feel safe in the public spaces of Observatory any more.”
“It is not safe to live on the streets – I have been raped three times.”
“There are so many people with serious mental health issues in Obs – because of proximity to mental healthcare service providers – but why don’t they help these people?”
“There will always be poor people.”
“The system has failed us all.”
“What is happening in Obs is just a reflection of what is going on in wider society.”
“I pay my rates and taxes and I don’t like my neighbourhood looking like a refugee camp.”
These are just some of the voices that are heard in the diverse neighbourhood of Observatory – perhaps you also have an opinion that is not described above?
This Saturday 6 November we will be having our Social Issues conversations follow up. Action Group from 10am-11am and Advisory Group from 11am-12noon. Please if you signed up for any of these groups do join. If you weren’t at the first meeting you are more than welcome to join any of the groups or both. Observatory Community center.
