A new era for Mulgum House - November 12, 2008

Sonia Atkinson, an elderly resident of Nimbin's beleaguered Mulgum House (pictured), believes the new management could put an end to years of neglect. Sonia, a former Lismore City Council alderman, has lived at Mulgum House since she suffered a stroke in 1998. She has watched management change on no less than four occasions but said the new managers, Multitask Human Resource Foundation (formerly Lismore Challenge), are definitely the best yet. "They have a human face, they treat you like a human, they are open to suggestions and they are helpful beyond the call of duty," the 85-year-old said. "So far, I'm more than happy with how they are running things. "Some things are still up in the air, like whether they're putting my rent up - and the jury's out until I know what they're going to charge me! - but so far everyone's been very friendly." Mulgum House was established as a community housing project to provide housing for elderly people on low incomes but was often not filled to capacity, making it difficult to remain viable. Former manager Anglicare North Coast issued eviction notices to all residents in August 2004, saying the facility was losing too much money and was no longer sustainable. However, a Mulgum House resident took the matter to the Consumer, Trading and Tenancy Tribunal and it was ruled that the facility was effectively a retirement village and as a result residents could not be evicted. Anglicare North Coast ended their tenure in March 2006 and it was managed by Housing NSW's Office of Community Housing until the keys were recently handed to Multitask. "During that time there was a 12-month period where the lawns didn't even get mowed - it looked like a paddock," Sonia said. "There was no mistreatment but just total neglect. That is something that has characterised Mulgum House." The facility has undergone an upgrade worth more than $200,000 and Multitask is now providing supported accommodation for seven people with disabilities while also retaining three of the 10 units for local elderly people. A Housing NSW spokesperson said Multitask had provided a service model that indicated Mulgum House would be fiscally sustainable in the medium to long-term. Long-time resident Len Harper, 88, said he's pleased to have some company. "Imagine sitting around all day with nothing do! I like it now, there's people around," he said. "It's good - I quite like this atmosphere." Sonia said if these fledgling days are anything to go by, it's onward and upward for Mulgum House with Multitask at the helm. "The seven residents who have moved in seem very happy. There is a lovely relationship there - the residents like the staff and the staff love them, so that indicates they have experience and compassion," she said. "I don't need much help - I can look after myself - but three things are very important to me: privacy, independence and security. That's all us tenants have ever wanted, and at the present moment that's what we've got."