Gardener's Clean-Up Sparks Housing Debate

0:00On March 3rd, here's the latest out of Sydney. Nathan Stafford, a 46-year-old gardener from Sydney, with 12 million followers online, recently uncovered one of the worst cases of. Neglected public housing he's ever seen. In Constitution Hill, near Paramata, he found a townhouse overrun with rubbish, where a man struggling with mental health issues lived alone. Stafford cleaned it up for free, posted videos that racked up millions of views, and directly called on officials for help. Over the next three days, his pleas led to social workers finally stepping in to move the man into crisis accommodation. This came after repeated failed attempts to get aid, highlighting deep issues in how vulnerable people are supported in public housing. Stafford has been targeting other neglected spots, too, like the suburb of Bidwill in Sydney's Northwest, where he mowed overgrown verges, cleared, drains, and pruned, blocking trees. Known to 4,000 residents, mostly on public housing with high unemployment, the area has

1:00seen little maintenance from Blacktown City Council, despite population growth. The council faces maintenance backlogs amid a surge to 450,000 residents, but claims its responsive through apps and has cleared. Tons of dumped rubbish lately, Stafford's videos, viewed over a million times, sparked debate, with some officials dismissing him as an outsider. His drive comes from personal experience. Stafford was homeless in his late teens and early 20s until charities helped him turn his life around. Now, through his business Nathan's lawns and gardens, he cleans for free to give back. Officials like NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson praised his efforts for bringing dignity to tenants in tough spots. The daily news now is presented by our sponsor. When you want calm, do not reach for your phone. Stay back and listen, S-O-L-L-I, solelypillow.com.