Perth family face eviction from social housing despite fears of violence from ex-partner

A single mother from Perth, raising five children, and her young children – one of whom has autism and requires special care – they are at risk of homelessness after the termination of the municipal flat lease agreement amidst the ongoing neighbour dispute.

Authorities say the decision was made for the safety of the local community after neighbours complained about the family’s anti-social behaviour.

But Kylena Hill, 28, says she has no one else to turn to and fears her life is in danger as her abusive ex-partner remains on bail awaiting sentence for repeatedly assaulting her.

Ms Hill’s children are among almost 400 Western Australian children caught up in the eviction process from public housing in the past two financial years.

Defense attorneys say their attempts to persuade Ms. Hill’s family to relocate went unanswered – until it was too late.

Eviction application

Washington State Housing Authority filed an eviction application in April after Ms Hill was charged with assault earlier that month.

Police say a man heard Ms Hill screaming for help inside her home after her dogs began fighting.

He approached her, but when Mrs. Hill saw him, she shouted at him to leave her property.

Police say the man started to walk away but Ms Hill followed him and pushed him several times. He is not believed to have been injured.

A spokesman for the Department of Communities, which falls under the Housing Executive, said evictions were a last resort.

The statement said evictions only happen when the safety of the community is at risk and all attempts to engage and support the tenants concerned have proven ineffective.

However, the department was unable to provide data on tenant evictions where domestic violence was a factor.

“Communities are working to improve the safety and protection of tenants who may be victims of domestic violence,” the spokesman said.

“And he is not trying to evict them from their premises.”

A turbulent history

Like many council tenants, Mrs Hill has had a tumultuous life.

The 28-year-old’s parents are dead and most of her siblings are in prison. The young mother says she has no other family and is left to raise her children alone.

Caring for her four-year-old son with autism proved to be a particular challenge for her.

Last year, she had to rescue them from a house fire that authorities said was accidental and destroyed their home and everything they owned.

“It’s hard,” she says, holding another small son on her lap.

Ms Hill pulls her sweater off her shoulder to reveal one scar, then pulls up her sleeve to reveal another, and says this is where she was stabbed by her former partner.

It took her years to escape her abuser, but under the pretext of bringing presents for the children, Ms Hill’s ex-partner attacked her again two days before Christmas 2022, and again a week later.

“I was never safe,” she says.

“Being beaten and held hostage in my room for seven hours while he was on drugs and alcohol while I was eight months pregnant with my youngest child.”

Despite being convicted of two counts of aggravated assault and eight counts of breaching a domestic violence court order, the offender remains free on bail awaiting sentencing.

Mrs Hill says she lives just a few suburbs away.

“He will kill her eventually”

The email, seen by ABC, shows that Child Protection, which operates within the same department as the Housing Executive, intends to support Ms Hill and the children in maintaining their home.

A Child Protective Services worker told Ms Hill’s defence lawyers that although they had concerns about the children’s attendance at school and medical appointments, she had cooperated well with the department.

“Kylena is working with support to address concerns,” the email reads.

“She’s trying to do the best she can, and her past traumas… (she’s) a significant victim of FDV… (and has) current stresses related to housing and the risk of homelessness… the medical, developmental and behavioral needs of her children put enormous pressure on her and can at times affect her abilities.”

A department spokesman said in a statement that Ms Hill had rejected multiple offers of rental assistance.

Rach Mac, CEO of Broken Crayons Still Colour, a support group for victims of domestic violence, has been providing support to Ms Hill and dozens of other victims of domestic violence for years.

He is one of the people trying to convince the Housing Board to allow the family to relocate.

“At that meeting, myself, the Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, Day Dawn, even the Department of Child Protection – we were all behind Kylena and advocating for her,” she says.

Ms Mac supported another Aboriginal woman, Tiffany Woodley, before she was allegedly murdered by her former partner last year in what police described as an “extreme case of domestic violence”.

“I told the department that I and many other human rights advocates had been pleading for months for Tiffany to be moved to another location for her own safety,” she says.

“If she (Mrs. Hill) ends up on the streets, those beautiful children will end up back in foster care, and he (Mrs. Hill’s ex-partner) will kill her.”

Dozens of complaints

In the five months since Ms Hill ended her lease, the Department received 92 complaints from neighbours.

However, in the more than five years that Ms Hill lived in her last two rented properties, she received 28 complaints.

She was moved from her first home due to violence by her partner, while her second home was left unoccupied after an accidental fire.

ABC contacted several of Ms Hill’s neighbours. Some did not wish to speak, while others asked that their comments not be attributed.

One described the woman, her five children, two cats and three dogs as a “nuisance.”

Some said children were throwing rubbish over the fence, dogs were naughty and Mrs Hill shouted abuse at them as they walked past, making them feel unsafe.

Others said that although the house was noisy, they had no objection to Mrs. Hill.

The Department for Communities declined the ABC’s request for an interview.

However, a department spokesman said in a statement that four court orders had been issued against Ms Hill.

The spokesman did not mention that Ms Hill had also obtained a court order against one of her neighbours.

A spokesman said the department was looking into allegations made by Ms Hill’s neighbours, but did not say whether it was investigating allegations made against them.

This includes alleged verbal abuse and racist comments directed at Ms Hill and her children.

Rach Mac confirmed some of these claims, saying two residents had previously used racial slurs when referring to Ms Hill’s family.

She said that one time it happened when she was delivering gifts to a family.

Residents contacted by ABC denied the reports.

Ms Hill’s eviction case will be heard in court later this week.

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