Residents say cars have been piled high with belongings, neighbours locked out of their own entrances, and families scattered across Melbourne with nowhere secure to go. This was how the Flemington Public Housing Towers looked in recent weeks as demolition works pushed tenants to breaking point.
One resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, estimated that around 60 to 70 per cent of tenants had already left. According to residents, some were relocated by the housing commission, while others sought shelter with friends or family.
A smaller number were reportedly unable to secure alternative housing, leaving them at risk of squatting or sleeping rough. Behind it all, residents pointed to the massive Homes Victoria construction site as a symbol of disruption.
Yasmine Artan, a 35-year-old resident from a neighbouring tower, rushed to speak when she saw interviews being conducted. “It’s a grave health concern,” she said.
“Ambulances cannot get into the driveway if there’s an emergency happening. These buildings are filled with asbestos and there are many residents with respiratory health problems. Until now, they haven’t provided any evacuation plan. For when they bring down the building. We have people with asthma here, old citizens and pregnant women. This could leave permanent damage on all of us. They don’t seem to care.”
Residents said displacement was immediate for some. Sulieman, a young man—possibly a teenager—said he had been sleeping rough in playgrounds and parks after being forced out of his home. He explained how many people in the towers were refugees who had already fled destruction overseas.
“If it worked somewhere, don’t change the method, right? They’re now just bringing the horrors of Gaza and Iraq here too,” he said, describing how the demolitions triggered painful memories of war and loss.
The government first announced in September 2023 that it would “retire and redevelop” 44 public housing towers across Melbourne by 2051, beginning with the estates in Flemington and North Melbourne.
Residents have been promised they will be relocated into alternative housing at no cost and have the right to return once the towers are rebuilt. The redevelopments are expected to deliver a small increase in “social” housing (around 10 per cent), but with three times the number of apartments, most of which are likely to be handed to private developers.
Details around land ownership, transfers and tenancy management remain unclear, including what proportion will remain as genuine public housing — that is, publicly owned and managed.
Advocates have raised concerns about what this means for vulnerable tenants. The Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG) said many older tenants in towers like Flemington were particularly at risk, as they often lived outside dedicated “55+” housing and lacked tailored support services.
“The relocation process is disruptive and breaks up close knit communities,” HAAG said in a statement. “For many older people, accessing medical support, public transport and remaining connected to their communities is extremely important. If relocations are necessary, older tenants require additional support to move and to understand their options.”
HAAG also questioned the future of public housing under the Big Housing Build, saying it remained unclear how much would be retained under public ownership. “Our position is that all housing should remain in public ownership, and there should be no loss of public housing,” the group said.
This is not the first time residents of the towers have raised concerns about government actions. In 2020, Flemington and North Melbourne housing estates were subject to a sudden COVID lockdown, later found by the Victorian Ombudsman to have breached human rights. For many tenants, that experience has compounded distrust as they now face the uncertainty of demolition and relocation.
In neighbouring North Melbourne, residents have also formed the North Melbourne Public Housing Residents’ Association (NMPHRA) to advocate for clearer communication and stronger protections. The group has called for greater transparency and reassurance around relocation, health and the right to return to redeveloped housing.
The future of the towers is also being contested in the courts. In April 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed a class action brought on behalf of residents challenging the demolitions, finding the government had acted lawfully. Inner Melbourne Community Legal (IMCL), which is representing tenants in Flemington and North Melbourne, lodged an appeal in June 2025. That case is still pending.
Back Cover News has contacted the Victorian Government for comment.
Isidro Guzman is a contributor through the Back Cover Youth Creatives Training Hub, which provides young people with opportunities to learn and publish their work in journalism and media.
