Housing association tries to spoil summer fun
Residents in Kingfisher Green, Greater Leys, were disturbed to receive a
recent personalised letter from Oxford Citizens Housing Association (OCHA) which
appeared to threaten them with eviction over ‘noisy street games’.
Also contained in the letter was a warning not to take in overseas students
without the permission of the housing association.
This kind of heavy-handed action does nothing to enhance the reputation of
OCHA on the estate—a reputation already somewhat tainted in the eyes of many
residents.
Parents in Kingfisher Green often participate in recreational activities with
their children, making full use of the park and play area opposite their homes.
It is not uncommon for mothers to organise cricket matches and street parties
for local youngsters.
This is what community is all about. By claiming the streets for themselves
Kingfisher Green residents are preventing antisocial elements from taking
control. Parents should be commended for this rather than being penalised.
Instead we have a situation in which heroin and crack dealers are left to ply
their trade unmolested but tenancy agreements are invoked to threaten decent
community-minded tenants.
On the matter of foreign ex-change students, Blackbird Leys has hosted
overseas students for decades without the council feeling the need to poke its
nose in. Parents who choose to provide accommodation for these visitors
should be allowed to carry on this tradition without interference from OCHA
or any other landlord.
It is about time the housing authorities stopped picking easy targets and
started to address the real problems on the estate.
Leys Independent, Issue 13, May 2002
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