When a woman fell to her death from a fire in a high rise unit in Bankstown, Sydney, it focused the spotlight on illegal renovations to cram more people into existing housing stock. We deplore the housing conditions we see in the vast slums of many developing countries, but our own cities are hiding a hidden " shantytown " behind the elegant facade of modern buildings.
The Real Estate people are seeing situations where over twenty people are crammed into a two bedroom apartment. In some cases, extra bedrooms have been constructed by adding partitions, and these have been furnished with triple height bunk beds or even mattresses on the floor to maximise sleeping spaces. In areas close to universities, " hot bunking " is another option to get more money from a limited area of space. Residents take turns to occupy a sleeping space at different times of the day and night, hence that bed is rarely unoccupied.
Apart from the health risks, having units subdivided poses a huge fire danger. Not only are escape routes impeded, but illegal walls concentrate smoke and that can be more deadly than the actual flames. Bedding contains material that releases hydrogen cyanide gas when alight - and bedding is the main furnishing in these illegal dormitories.
It is all a matter of money. Desperate people are prepared to pay rents of $ 175 a week for a place to sleep, with share access to a toilet, shower and somewhere to prepare a snack. It is often a case of accepting this drop in living standards - or join the homeless living on the streets.
This subdividing to create overcrowding is clearly illegal, but privacy laws make it difficult for councils to intervene. It is only when tragedy strikes that the authorities get the opportunity to make a detailed inspection and order restoration to comply with planning laws. In the majority of cases, what is now a boarding house is masquerading as the owners private residence. The onus of proof rests with the council to prove otherwise.
The driving force - is the " Law of Supply and Demand ". As long as the number of people seeking city accommodation far exceeds the places offered, greedy landlords will meet that shortfall with sub standard facilities that deliver rich rewards. Perhaps the day is approaching when all habitable dwellings will be required to have an annual fire inspection performed by the fire brigade - to ensure that the dwelling has a functioning smoke alarm and that the interior structure meets relevant fire standards.
Many would regard this as a gross invasion of privacy, but safety laws have consistently surpassed privacy concerns. We face draconian penalties if we drive our car without a buckled safety belt. The law requires us to wear a safety vest when on a boat in the water - and we must submit to a compulsory body search whenever we travel through an airport. All of these requirements were installed in the holy name of - safety !
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