In Selwyn Street, Paddington, a developer has bought a group of boarding houses that over 30 men on low incomes call home. LFD Developments plans to turn them into four luxury villas.

Despite a massive public outcry, evictions of the men have been occurring.

In November last year, the Housing Minister Rose Jackson committed, in writing, to buy the homes in partnership with the City of Sydney, which unanimously supported buying the homes in order to be run as public or affordable housing.

Since then, no government purchase has taken place, and the Minister has been silent on the matter.

The state has the power of compulsory acquisition, as was frequently seen in the case of buying homes to make way for the private WestConnex toll road.

We call on the Minister to use the government's powers to buy the homes, and convert them into public housing, so that the men, in their loving community, can stay together in their homes in Selwyn Street.