Single mothers and low-income residents living in Public Rental Board (PRB) flats on Mead Road in Nabua, Suva, are grappling with mounting anxiety as they prepare for imminent relocations. The task of finding affordable housing alternatives within the short timeframe set by PRB has placed a considerable financial strain on these tenants. Private rental options are often beyond their reach, exacerbating their struggles.
Silika Ciba, a 63-year-old single mother of two, articulated her worries, stating, “I don’t have a stable job and my children only get casual jobs, enough for food and rent. I don’t know how or where we will move to now.” This sentiment echoes the distress shared by many tenants who have lived in these flats for over thirty years, establishing their lives and families in what has become their community.
Long-standing maintenance issues within the flats have also come to light, with residents reporting delays in repairs. Many tenants have resorted to purchasing materials themselves for necessary repairs, while PRB only provides labor. The pressure of potential relocation, compounded by the soaring cost of living and school expenses, intensifies the existing burdens faced by these families. Kelera Vuna, another resident, expressed her concerns by asking, “We survive with the little we can collect from casual jobs; where will we go, how will we pay to move?”
Numerous tenants have sought transfers to other PRB estates or vacant flats but remain uncertain about the approval of their applications. While residents have been promised government assistance to ease their relocation, details on the type of financial or housing support available remain vague.
Timoci Naleba, the general manager of PRB, affirmed the organization’s dedication to ensuring safety and fairness across housing estates. He mentioned that most tenants are iTaukei, implying they might have nearby family capable of providing temporary housing. He also noted that many residents had been paying low rents, which he argues should have enabled them to save and invest in property. Naleba stressed the importance of the relocation process to accommodate younger families living in substandard conditions, emphasizing it as a necessary step for community improvement.
This situation underscores a significant social challenge faced by low-income families in urban settings, highlighting the urgent need for improved communication and support from government entities to assist these families in achieving housing stability. The collective hope is that a more robust assistance framework will emerge, providing the support needed for these vulnerable households during this period of transition.