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Outcomes of a survey of residents living in residential parks on the Mornington Peninsula

Peninsula Residential Parks and Villages Group

August 2017

Funded by the Mornington Peninsula Shire and supported by Housing for the Aged Action Group

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the following people for their contribution throughout the project:

Bob Dalmau

Angela Brown

Howard Ross

Bev Vaudrey

Robert Denholm

Margaret Bertuch (in memory)

Keith Greenwood

Betty Greenwood

Geoff Douglas

Jeanette Douglas

David Derrick

Ken Dyson

Rosalyn Franklin

David Nelli

Shanny Gordon

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Introduction

This report aims to provide greater understanding of the caravan park and residential villages population on the Mornington Peninsula (referred to as the Peninsula throughout the report). The report is based on a project conducted by the Peninsula Residential Parks and Villages Group (PRPVG) with the support of the Mornington Peninsula Shire (MPS) and Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG). MPS provided financial support through a community grant.

The project aimed to improve the standards and quality of living in residential parks and villages across the Peninsula by:

Undertaking preliminary research by surveying residents within residential parks and villages,

Identifying primary areas of concern and conducting focus groups around those topics, and;

Developing and undertaking strategies for advocacy and action around the identified issues.

The outcomes also inform the PRPVG strategic planning and future priority setting.

About Residential Parks and Villages

Residential parks and villages have become a significant form of housing on the Peninsula, currently housing an estimated 1000 residents. They have also become an increasingly important tenure for older people in an environment of decreasing housing affordability.

There is considerable diversity within the estimated 42 caravan parks and residential villages on the Peninsula. Some cater solely for casual holiday makers and do not accommodate permanent residents. Others provide sites for “annuals”, people who own a cabin and can occupy their dwelling for a defined number of days annually. The most recent model is the purpose built residential village that caters solely to permanent residents, usually over the age of 55. The general model on the Peninsula however appears to be the mixed-use parks housing permanent residents and holidays makers.

The focus of this project was to survey permanent residents living in residential parks and villages. A permanent resident is someone who owns their moveable/transportable dwelling and leases/rents the site on which it stands and is their principal place of residence OR someone who rents both the dwelling and the site as a principal place of residence.

The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (RTA) is the principal legislation governing the rights and responsibilities of park residents and owners. The Residential Tenancies (Caravan Parks and Movable Dwellings Registration and Standards) Regulations 2010 (Regulations) runs alongside the Act and provides a role for local government, such as responsibility regarding registration of parks.

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During this project the RTA was under review and as yet no options for reform have been released by government in relation to caravan and residential parks.

During this project the Victorian Legislative Council’s Legal and Social Affairs Committee also conducted an Inquiry into Retirement Housing which included caravan and residential parks and villages. The state government is due to provide a response to the Inquiry recommendations on 7 September 2017.

The Peninsula Residential Parks and Villages Group (PRPVG)

In 2012 HAAG undertook research into the formation of residents’ committees in residential parks and villages following the introduction of Part 4A into the RTA. Part 4A is the part of the Act that applies to residential parks. During the launch of the research report HAAG and the MPS offered to support Peninsula residents to form a combined park group to further develop the work around residents committees. The PRPVG was established to provide information to residents, support residents committees and advocate on behalf of residents.

The PRPVG has conducted several forums providing residents with opportunities to raise issues of concern. The forums have presented information on rights and responsibilities, the regulatory framework and current developments in law reform and relevant areas, and assisted residents with information on services and how toseek assistance when required. PRPVG has worked to build a productive relationship with MPS officers, advocating strongly on issues such as transport. Members of the PRPVG also submitted to the recent Inquiry into Retirement Housing and presented at the public hearings conducted during the Inquiry.

There are four core participating residential parks within PRPVG and the group continues to explore effective means of extending membership to other parks.

Project Methodology

A questionnaire developed by PPRVG was distributed by members within the parks currently represented within the group. Marina Van View in Hastings was not able to participate.

Over 600 forms were distributed with 164 returned.

Residential Park Estimated Permanents Returns

Peninsula Parklands, Hastings 220 80

Mornington Gardens, Mornington 220 51

Dromana Holiday Village 80 28

Peninsula Holiday Park, Dromana 40 5

After collation of the data, the PRPVG reviewed the preliminary analysis and identified issues for consideration in the focus groups.

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Issues

Attempts were made to engage with additional parks during the project but it is apparent that engagement is dependent on knowing an active and available member within the park community. Therefore the outcomes of this survey are somewhat limited as they are not representative of the whole Peninsula.

The questionnaire included questions on gender and age. Unfortunately, it did not allow couples to enter their gender and ages separately, so the survey was unable to determine age against gender in some circumstances.

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SURVEY FINDINGS

1. Type of Park

Residents were asked to define their park as either purpose built residential or mixed holiday and permanent. The majority response (61.44%) was purpose built. This reflects the fact that about half the respondents were from Peninsula Parklands at Hastings which is the only participating park that is clearly purpose built and does not accommodate holiday makers.

The other parks cater for a mix of casuals through cabin hire or camping spaces, and the Peninsula Holiday Park has a high percentage of annuals – those who own and occupy on a designated number of days. There was some confusion about which category applied, which is not surprising given that all parks and villages are dedicated spaces differentiated from normal suburban housing.

2. Age of residents

Nearly 48% of respondents were aged between 70 and 80 years. When combined with the 15% who are aged 80 years and above, 63 % of residents were aged over 70 years.

This has implications for the range of services required by these residents, and their future options in the event of declining health. Anecdotally, there is evidence of support provided by neighbours and other members within the park communities.

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Peninsula Parklands provides a number of accessible organised activities in the common room, and the residents group in Dromana Holiday Village has developed strategies within the emergency response plan to ensure that the more elderly and less mobile are targeted for assistance in the event of an emergency. These measures are critical to avoiding social isolation, but again anecdotally, there is evidence that social isolation exists.

The MPS Aged and Disabilities Unit indicated that they have good coverage of parks and villages in terms of home care and other services. Nevertheless, further discussion is required to consider external and internal action to prevent social isolation.

3. Gender of respondents

The majority of residents were women. As stated in the introduction, a limitation in the questionnaire makes it difficult to present gender profiles by age. However, it is well recognised that the average age of female residents is greater than male residents, consistent with the broader population.

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4. Were respondents living as singles or couples?

Single people are the predominant group in the population, forming 58% of respondents. Couples comprise nearly 38% while 2.5% of residents are living with children or in other family arrangements. It is estimated that 69 of the 95 single people are women, and that they form the largest single demographic in the population.

5. Unit size

Nearly 75% of units were two bedrooms and less than 6% were three bedroom.

These findings are in line with research that shows that when older Australians downsize most choose homes with 2 or more bedrooms.

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6. Are pets allowed?

Most residents replied that pets were allowed although the responses indicated that some were unsure. Pets are allowed in Peninsula Holiday Park Dromana and Peninsula Parklands Hastings, while Mornington Gardens and Dromana Holiday Village do not allow pets. Given the age profile of residents and the research indicating that pets can have a positive effect on the health and wellbeing of people, this issue could be further explored.

7. Owner/renters or Renter/renters

As discussed earlier, residents can own the dwelling and lease the site (owner/renters) or rent both the dwelling and the site (renter/renters). In this survey, 98% of respondents identified as owner/renters.

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8. Permanency

This question asked whether residents considered themselves as permanent or other. The response reflects the data above in that 98% owned their dwelling.

9. Duration of residency

The average length of residency was 7 years. Eight respondents had lived in their park for more than twenty years, the longest being 31 years.

10. Do you have a written lease?

Nearly 86% replied they had a written lease, with 14% saying either no or don’t know. Ten respondents did not answer this question suggesting that the ‘unsure’ number could be higher.

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11. Length of lease

Lease arrangements vary across parks and villages. Significantly, only 121 of the 164 respondents answered this question, with a number of respondents indicating on the questionnaire that they didn’t know or were unsure when they entered a number. For those who responded the average length was 43 years.

This was influenced by Dromana Holiday Village respondents generally replying that they had 99 year leases. The majority of Peninsula Parklands residents indicated 30 years. Most Mornington Gardens residents did not respond and Peninsula Holiday Park responses were either 5 years or no response.

The number of residents unsure about their lease arrangements is a matter of concern.

12. Income type

Almost 90% of residents are reliant on a pension, while 9% are still working. Any rise in site fees and other costs can be critical and create significant financial pressures, especially for pensioners on fixed incomes.

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13. Country of origin

65% identified Australia as their country of origin. Most of the remainder identified as being from the United Kingdom, New Zealand or a variety of European countries.

14. Current site fee/rent

While there was some variation, 66% (106) of respondents paid site fees between $140 and $150 per week. Again, the high number of responses from Peninsula Parklands influenced this result, though a large number of Mornington Gardens’ residents paid the same amount. Most respondents from Dromana Holiday Village paid between $80 and $100. Peninsula Holiday Park all indicated paying between $120 and $130.

The range of fees paid within some of the parks requires further investigation.

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15. Available facilities

The most common facilities were barbeques and a recreation room or common room, mostly equipped with pool table or table tennis tables and a library. Dromana Holiday Village also has an onsite pool.

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16. The number of people living in the park

Unsurprisingly, many respondents did not know the number of people living in their park. Only 95 respondents attempted this question.

17. Management arrangements

Do you have a manager?

Respondents overwhelmingly identified that there was a manger in their park or village.

Is the manager also the owner?

Three of four respondents identified the owner as separate from the manager, though some were unsure.

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Is the manager on duty?

Seventy one percent said the manager was on duty during business hours.

18. Do you have a resident committee/association?

While over 76% acknowledged a committee, 25 of the respondents did not answer this question, suggesting that approximately 12% were unsure.

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19. Do you have an Emergency Response Plan?

There was a high level of awareness of emergency plans, with only 11 respondents unaware. However, a further 12 respondents did not reply, suggesting that 23 respondents may not understand the plans and how they operate.

20. Is your maintenance adequate?

The large number of returns from Peninsula Parklands, where the level of satisfaction was higher than other parks, influenced this outcome. Satisfaction varied across parks, and was a major indication of the quality of relationships between residents and management.

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21. Do you have access to public transport?

The inadequacy of public transport across the Peninsula is well recognised. Two thirds of respondents to this survey said they had no access to public transport. This presents significant difficulties for older people in particular, making activities such as food shopping and medical appointments either difficult and/or more expensive if taxis are required.

Mornington Gardens, Dromana Holiday Villages, and Peninsula Parklands all have infrastructure such as bus stops in close proximity, but there is no service provided by bus lines. Preliminary discussions with MPS transport officers have commenced and will continue.

In considering this issue, it must be noted that many residents have their own transport and may not need public transport. As the populations ages, however, it is expected that demand will increase.

22. Knowledge of rights and responsibilities

While 93 respondents replied they were aware of their rights and responsibilities, it is a concern that 53 said they did not know the laws governing their rights and responsibilities. A further 18 did not answer the question. Assuming the latter also did not have awareness of the law this translates to 71 individuals, or over 40% of residents, with limited or no awareness of their rights.

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23. Comments

Forty eight respondents made comment and there was considerable variation.

Issues mentioned related to:

Management,

A mix of positive and negative comments, with the majority of positive comments coming from Peninsula Parklands. Others spoke of non responsive management and high turnover of staff,

Maintenance of grounds and facilities,

Transport,

Amenities,

Utilities,

Security, and;

Fees and costs.

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IDENTIFICATION OF PRINCIPAL ISSUES

The PRPVG committee reviewed the preliminary findings with a view to identifying major issues to explore in more depth within the focus groups, and for consideration in their forward planning. The committee was clear that while the full results were to be presented to focus groups, it was necessary to highlight particular issues of concern.

Demographic profile - implications

The age of 63% of the respondents is over 70 years, and the majority are single women. Nearly 90% are reliant on the aged pension as their primary source of income.

There are questions around the capacity of dwellings to allow for modifications required to enable residents to age in place. Additionally, it is important to consider the services and supports, from transport assistance to home help, necessary tomeet the needs of this ageing population.

The risk of social isolation is also present, and while residents’ groups are working to create inclusive communities an audit of residents’ needs with the support of management would assist. The quality of the relationship between management and residents varies across the parks, and in some cases the perceived responsibility of management to residents is minimal at best.

Lack of access to public transport

Access to public transport is a critical issue for an ageing community. The inadequacy of public transport services throughout the Peninsula is well recognised. Persistent advocacy by the Council and community groups has seen incremental improvements, and the introduction of some innovative initiatives such as Peninsula Transport Assist. While these services are appreciated, they are unable to replace a regular service which can encourage independence in an ageing population who may need to get to a medical appointment, do their shopping or catch up with friends.

In parks such as Mornington and Hastings, infrastructure such as bus stops and run-offs are in place directly opposite the parks. It cannot, at least in these examples, be argued that infrastructure costs are a barrier. The debate rests on a complex supply and demand discussion, and the PRPVG voice is being added to the campaign as a result of this survey.

Rights, Responsibilities and lease arrangements

Responses to the questionnaire indicate that at least 40% are not fully aware of their legislative rights and responsibilities. There was also an apparent confusion about the nature and length of leases.

The outcomes of the extensive review of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997, and the recent Legislative Council Inquiry into Retirement Housing will become more apparent over the next two years. The tasks will involve dissemination of

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information, consideration of implications, and options for engagement and feedback.

The PRPVG with the support of HAAG have performed an invaluable role in providing information sessions and workshops. It is imperative that this activity is sustained and that consideration be given to extending the number of residents to be included.

Emergency Response Plans

While it is a requirement that park management demonstrates the existence and maintenance of effective emergency response plans in order to be registered, the responses to the survey suggest that not all residents are aware of how they operate. This issue needs to be assessed on a park by park basis.

FOCUS GROUP PROCESS

Focus Group 1 – Overview and priorities

The first Focus Group was convened on 27 April 2017 (appendix 1). A general invitation was sent out to park and village residents and twenty residents attended.

Topics discussed on the day included:

Lease arrangements – length and terms

Emergency Response Plans – adequacy and resident awareness

Services for an ageing population – do we have what we need?

Access to public transport – meeting on 25 May to discuss more detail

Rights and responsibilities of residents and managers

Focus Group 2 – Public Transport

Over 40 residents attended this meeting. There was unanimous support for a focused campaign in conjunction with the MPS.

It was decided to have a petition to Review the Bus Transport services on the Peninsula and over the following five weeks residents collected just on 1600 signatures across the Peninsula. The Mornington News Paper provided front pagecoverage of the campaign and some businesses in Mornington, Somerville, Hastings, Dromana, and Martha’s Cove also displayed petition forms.

The petition has now been sent to the state government.

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PeninsulaResidentialParks&VillagesGroup - Questionnaire

PARKNAME…………………………………………………………………….

TYPE:Purposebuiltresidential Mixedholidayand

permanent

PleaseTICKtheboxesthatrelatetoyou:

1. Age: 55-60 60-65 65-70 70-75

75-80 80-85 85-90 90-95 95+

2. Gender: Male Female

3. Unit size: 1 Bedroom 2 Bedrooms 3 Bedrooms

4. Living as: Single Couple Other (ie. With children)

5. Pets allowed: YES NO

6. DO YOU: Rent the unit and the site

Own your unit and rent/lease the site

7. How long have you lived the in the park/village?..........YEARS

8. What is the length of your lease?………YEARS

9. Income type: Pension Self-funded Still working

10.Are you a permanent resident? YES NO

11.What is your nationality? ………………………………………………

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12.What are your current site fees/rent?

$80 -90 90-100 100- 110 110-120

120 – 130 130- 140 140-150 150-160

160-170 Or other…$………………

13.What facilities do you have in the park/village?

POOL LIBRARY BBQ’S POOL TABLES

TABLE TENNIS INDOOR CARPET BOWLS BOWLING

GREEN RECREATION/COMMON ROOM

OTHER………………………………

14.How many people in total live in the park/village?

..................................

15.Do you have a manager? YES NO

16.Is the manager also the owner? YES NO

17.Is the manager on duty: 24 hours a day or business hours

only?

18.Do you have a written agreement? YES NO

19.Do you have a residents’ association/committee? YES

NO

20.Does your park/village have an emergency response plan? (ie-

FIRE etc.)

YES NO

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21.Do you think your park/village maintenance is adequate?

YES NO

22.Do you know what law you are covered by?

………………………………………………………………………………….

Thankyoufortakingpartinthisquestionnaire.

IFYOUWOULDCONSIDERTAKINGPARTIN AFOCUSGROUPTODISCUSSSOMEOFTHEABOVEQUESTIONSINMOREDETAILTHENPLEASEWRITEYOURNAMEANDCONTACTNUMBER BELOW:

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….