The state government says that its new affordable housing strategy will increase the availability of affordable housing in WA, making it easier for the average Western Australian to own their own home.
The state government says that its new affordable housing strategy will increase the availability of affordable housing in WA, making it easier for the average Western Australian to own their own home.
Housing Minister Troy Buswell said that the government's 'Affordable Housing Strategy 2010-2020: Opening Doors to Affordable Housing' will aim to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2020.
To reach the target of 20,000, the strategy will provide 8,300 low deposit Keystart and shared-equity home loans, 5,500 subsidised private rental opportunities, 3,500 more social houses and 1,000 more affordable dwellings generated by the community housing sector.
The 5,500 subsidised rental opportunities will be delivered through the National Rental Affordability Scheme, a joint initiative with the federal government to build affordable rental accommodation where eligible tenants pay rent at 20% below the market rate.
"It has become extremely difficult for low income earners to find appropriate rental accommodation, with only four per cent of rentals in Perth being affordable for people earning less than $35,000 per annum as at December 2010," Mr Buswell said.
The Department of Housing will also release 32,000 affordable housing lots by 2020.
Mr Buswell emphasised the importance of developing new and improved partnerships with private developers and non-government organisations.
"The strategy aims to combine the resources of Government with the expertise and experience of the private and not-for-profit sectors to increase the supply and diversity of affordable housing across regional and metropolitan WA," Mr Buswell said.
"In addition, continued asset transfers to the community housing growth providers will allow these groups to access funds to build an additional 1,000 affordable homes over the next eight years," Mr Buswell added.
UDIA chief executive Debra Goostrey said the strategy was a valuable step forward in providing affordable housing in Western Australia.
"We particularly welcome the fact that the state government sees social housing as part of a journey rather than a destination," she said.
Ms Goostrey said the government recognising that meeting different needs through a diversity of housing stock was critical in achieving the most financially and socially effective outcomes.
Real Estate Institute of Western Australia chief executive Anne Arnold voiced her support for the strategy and agreed that involvement from the private sector is vital in finding affordable housing solutions.
"The government is right to recognise the role of the private sector in finding solutions to a complex problem. The government simply does not have the funds to provide housing for West Australians on low and fixed incomes who rent," Ms Arnold said.
