Housing strategy ahead of schedule

Housing Minister Bill Marmion has marked the construction of the 150^th home under the community housing growth strategy by announcing the government is well ahead of schedule on its plan to deliver 20,000 affordable housing opportunities by 2020.

The state government has delivered 16,000 homes since the Affordable Housing Strategy began in 2010.

Almost 4,500 of these were social housing dwellings, including the 38-unit project unveiled today in Coolbellup.

The $7.2 million project was built under an agreement with Access Housing Australia, a community housing provider the state government has assisted to increase availability of affordable properties.

“A key element has been the transfer of some state government housing assets to the community housing sector,” Mr Marmion said.

“More than 1,700 properties - valued at over $400 million - have been transferred since 2010. The community sector is structured so it can then leverage these assets to further increase the supply of social housing stock.

“The government has a strong history of forming partnerships with the community housing sector and has invested considerably in its capacity to deliver services.”

Almost a fifth of the state’s social housing stock is managed by community housing organisations, with more than 8,000 properties.

“The units are being rented to a broad mix of eligible households including younger singles, small-to-medium families and seniors,” Mr Marmion said.

“When you hear their personal stories, you know our Affordable Housing Strategy is on the right track.”

By the end of this financial year, more than 2,200 properties will have been transferred from the government to community housing organisations, with a value of nearly $600 million.

Community housing rents are capped at a maximum of 30 per cent of tenants’ incomes.