THE Sarnia Housing Association has struggled to help any new tenants because its existing ones have nowhere else to go. Chairman Martin Le Boutillier told the association’s annual meeting that people living in what was supposed to be short-term, emergency accommodation were having to stay on because of the lack of alternative housing.

But a Housing Department spokesman said that things were set to improve as new States properties became available.

‘Never before in this island has the situation been so dire, where the need for housing been so great and yet the number of affordable properties been so small,’ said Mr Le Boutillier, who has just completed his first year as chairman.

‘We, as a society, have a responsibility to treat people with respect. There is so much prosperity in the island and yet people have not got a home nor a roof over their head. They deserve to be treated with dignity no matter what the circumstances.’

Tenants’ sub-committee chairman Ann Graham said that 2003 had been one of the worst on record in terms of the turnover. Only five families went from association accommodation into States housing and one returned to the private sector.

‘I have been concerned that the throughput of residents has been very low and that the association’s accommodation, which is meant to be short-term, is often being used as long-term by some people,’ said Mrs Graham.

Seven new families came into association properties – one was vacant at the beginning of the year.

During the year there were 47 new applications, the same as the previous year, and there were now 70 people on the association’s waiting list, some of which had been there since 1988.

‘The fact that only five families from the association’s housing have come into States housing is not particularly impressive, I realise. But in considering that, we must put everything into perspective,’ said a Housing Department spokesman.

He said that redevelopment programmes, such as those at Rue des Marais, Le Bouet, Rue des Lierres and Delancey, had, in the short term, reduced the number of properties but would eventually lead to an expansion in provision.

‘The main problem is that we have had to empty properties to be able to redevelop them and those people need somewhere else to live. We have also had to spend time carrying out the redevelopments to make sure that the housing is to a high standard and that it is not a patching-up job that will need rectifying later.’

The Delancey accommodation will be the first to be ready for occupation at the beginning of July.

The spokesman added that partnership programmes, for example with the Guernsey Housing Association, would alleviate the problems.

But he said that Sarnia would always play a valuable role in the community, especially as it gave people a permanent address from which to apply for States housing.

Mr Le Boutillier said that he hoped that the redevelopment of the association’s properties would provide a higher standard for residents.

Its aim, except for the elderly long-term residents, was that properties would continue to be used for their prime purpose.