A PLAN to transform one of the city's most rundown suburbs is making strides behind the scenes, but residents and businesses still question whether it will be enough to stamp out undesirable behaviour.
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Five months ago, Housing and Property Minister Melinda Pavey announced that Tolland will be transformed into "a vibrant, progressive neighbourhood, connected with jobs, transport and essential services".
The proposed revamp has been met with great enthusiasm by Tolland resident Amanda Richter, who has called the suburb home for most of her life during which her family have fallen victim to plenty of anti-social behaviour.
However, Ms Richter said it should not have taken this long to realise its a problem in dire need of fixing.
Break-ins, robberies and setting cars and couches alight in the street have become "normalised behaviour", which she said no one even bats an eye to anymore.
"When it happens directly to you, family or close friends obviously it is devastating and upsetting, but there is still that moment of 'oh, well this happens all the time'," she said. "No one is shocked about it anymore because it is just the norm."
Being a mum of a 15-month-old son, Ms Richter said her family want to have a safer home for him to grow up.
"Housing is definitely a good start, but there is a bigger underlying problem that is just being ignored," she said.
Tolland IGA manager Graeme Bliss agreed that the redevelopment was a step in the right direction, but a "cosmetic makeover" could only do so much.
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Mr Bliss said they need to find "the root of the problem" and build a sense of community that people could be proud of in the suburb.
"We stopped a man (stealing) the other night and he was apologetic and explained he hadn't eaten for days," he said.
"I gave him a couple of pies out of our oven and a drink, as well as some food for the next day and he couldn't believe we did that."
He said there is a reason for this type of anti-social behaviour and the city's leaders need to look deeper and target the cause.
Since Ms Pavey's announcement, community housing providers have expressed an interest in working with the NSW Land and Housing Corporation to co-design the suburb's renewal.
The minister's spokesperson said they are evaluating submissions and remain on track to communicate the tender process outcome by the end of this year.
The spokesperson said the Tolland master planning process is expected to take about 18 to 24 months to complete.
During this process, they said there will be a range of engagement opportunities with stakeholders and a chance for the community to provide feedback and input.