A group of residents in Murphy St, Richmond, called a public meeting on Monday to draw attention to anti-social problems at a public housing block in the street which they say have left them "terrified".
Spokesperson for the group, Paul Dipnell, attributed the problems to drug use.
Dipnell said the the street had become unsafe for children to play in, with people coming and going at all hours. There were arguments and fights. Used syringes and bloody gauze were left left lying in the street.
He said there had been at least one burglary in the area of late, a fire within the block, windows broken and a man recently jumped through a window.
Dipnell said the area was often visited by Richmond Police along with Emergency Services, and drug dealers had been operating in the vicinity.
Residents want the authorities to be proactive and do something to bring law and order to the area
- Paul Dipnell
"The chaos caused by drugs is unbearable for all residents of Murphy St, " Dipnell said.
"Residents want the authorities to be proactive and do something to bring law and order to the area."
He said residents recognised the people concerned needed proper medical care, but the anti-social behaviour had become unbearable for most in the street, particularly families.
"People should not have to live this way," he said. "So this is a community group born out of anxiety, and its wants something done."
He said the problem had been going on for at least three years but was getting increasingly worse.
Members of the informal group had contacted a number of authorities but nothing was ever done, Dipnell said.
"There's a public health problem down there and it's just not being dealt with in a constructive way at all," he said.
"It's just an untenable situation."
