“My name is Marg and I grew up in social housing.” 

Marg feels privileged to work at Housing Trust and has been employed as the Compliance Manager for the past five years. Marg grew up in social housing and is proud of her background.

Marg’s parents were successful in a succession of tenancy from Marg’s grandmother in their home town of Harden Murrumburrah, NSW. This was a Housing Commission property (now called Housing NSW). 

When her father struggled to find work in their home town and surrounding areas, her family of five relocated to Wollongong in 1971. At the time, Marg’s brother was eight, Marg was six and her youngest sister was four years old.

The family applied to be added to the Housing Commission waiting list for a home in Wollongong. The waiting time for a home was approximately three years, not the 10 years that it is today.

Marg and her family lived in her uncle’s driveway in his caravan at Warilla for three months, then rented private homes in Albion Park and Warilla. On occasions, Marg’s grandparents would live with them too. “My mum and dad had one room, my grandparents the other and my brother, sister and I shared a room.”

Marg’s youngest brother was born in 1972 and in November 1974 her family of six was successful in an offer of a three-bedroom Housing Commission house at Bellambi. Marg says, “We were very lucky as it was a new housing estate and the home had just been built. Mum and Dad have always been very house proud and turned our dirt yard into a beautiful garden – it was a lovely home to grow up in.”

Marg praises her parents for making their house a home which provided Marg and her siblings with a great foundation, enabling them to gain an education. Her parents were also fortunate enough to be able to buy their Bellambi home from the Housing Commission.

“My siblings and I have all had successful careers, have our own children and some of us also have grandchildren. We have all been fortunate to purchase our own homes and some of our children have also been able to buy homes.”

Marg’s Mum and Dad still live in their Bellambi home today.