Shelter WA has urged the state government not to reduce its commitment to Metronet as a budget measure.

MORE AFFORDABLE AND SOCIAL HOUSING URGENTLY REQUIRED

27 September, 2017

Western Australia’s social and affordable housing system is simply not big enough; there are not enough dwellings in the system to cope with demand as evidenced, principally by WA’s substantial housing waitlist. 

“WA needs a concerted effort to grow and develop the social and affordable housing system.  A system that provides an adequate safety net for those who cannot enter the private rental market, who are experiencing homelessness, and for those who need the time and space to get back on their feet,” Shelter spokesperson, Stephen Hall, said 

“The recent State Budget revealed there was no money set aside for Community housing organisations to grow the sector.  The problem we are dealing with is structural not cyclical.  A clear strategy, outlining investment in community housing, as an important sector to deliver homes for people on low to moderate incomes would be a great start to ending homelessness and addressing costs in other key government cost centres. Community housing organizations have the expertise to address these problems.”

WA needs a comprehensive strategy to address the demand for social and affordable housing options; especially social and affordable dwellings that can be rented by people not in a position to buy a home either on the open market or through schemes like Keystart, Mr Hall said.

“There are also significant budget problems that can be addressed by a better approach to housing.  For example, with the cost of accommodating people with mental illness in Graylands being around $265,000 per annum the Mental Health Commissioner, Mr Tim Marney recently stated 43 percent of mental health patients could be discharged if they had a safe home to go to.

 “Measures noted in the Budget papers, to address affordability reference Commonwealth strategies, such as the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation, to increase private sector investment into social and affordable rental housing.  While Commonwealth initiatives provide an opportunity for the community housing sector, the State Government detailing a Commonwealth response also could be seen as shifting some of the responsibility.”

Fast Facts

• The average waiting time for social housing is projected at 145 weeks.
• There are 212 community housing providers in Western Australia.
• The largest 10 providers control 60 per cent of community housing properties

For more information contact Stephen Hall 9325 6660, 0408 426 263, or email comms@shelterwa.org.au

Shelter WA welcomes the WA Government’s acknowledgment, that housing affordability continues to be a key issue in Western Australia, as outlined in the 2017/2018 State Budget.

Shelter WA has welcomed a new report that adds to the growing body of evidence that housing affordability issues are linked to a range of key economic reforms that have been implemented during the last twenty years.

 HOMELESSNESS WEEK 2017

9,600 people experience homelessness every night in WA

7,000 people are living in insecure housing and just

one step away from homelessness.

Now is the time to end homelessness, not just manage it!

Homelessness Week (HW) is led by Homelessness Australia and in this State, led by Shelter WA with funding from Lotterywest and the Department of Communities.  Homelessness Week aims to raise awareness about homelessness, with the ultimate objective of ending homelessness.

A new rental affordability study has highlighted the challenges very low and low income households face in Perth’s private rental sector.

                Monday, 22 May 2017

Shelter WA congratulates the Western Australian Labor Government for taking steps to reform strata title in Western Australia.

The Government recently announced it supported the drafting of legislation to reform strata title in WA.

It said the move is the first major shake-up of strata title legislation in 20 years and comes after significant growth in strata living throughout the State.

Labor said the reforms will deliver new development options that will drive economic growth in WA and build vibrant communities. 

Shelter WA is supportive of the new strata title reforms.

“These reforms will enable greater flexibility of land use which will assist with providing a good supply of diverse and affordable housing,” Shelter WA spokesman Stephen Hall said.

“These reforms will support transit-orientated development, along and close to transport routes, which Shelter WA has supported for many years.

“Through these changes, there is an opportunity to provide more diverse and affordable housing that meets the need of a changing population.”

Recent research released by Shelter WA, REIWA and the Housing Authority shows there is a lack of diversity in housing stock in the Perth metropolitan area with more than 70 per cent of homes having three or more bedrooms.

“These reforms are important to the future housing needs of WA, and will assist with the renewal of WA’s ageing housing stock, ” Mr Hall said.

“Although the planned changes will introduce safeguards for the termination of schemes, Shelter WA would like to see greater detail on how this will occur.

“Shelter WA want to see that the termination of schemes is done in a fair and equitable manner.”

Ends

Media Contact – Stephen Hall, Shelter WA, 9325 6660.

The Western Australian Labor Government should be looking at stamp duty, rather than the First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) if it wants to improve budget sustainability and improve housing affordability. 

Treasurer and Finance Minister Ben Wyatt this week (17 May, 2017) announced the temporary boost to the first home owner grant would stop on June 30, 2017. 

The boost, announced by the previous government in December 2016, increased the First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) payment from $10,000 to $15,000 on the purchases of new homes.

It had previously been scheduled to cease on December 31, 2017.

Shelter WA spokesman Stephen Hall said if the State government was serious about budget repair, together with long-term sustainable funding sources, it should move from taxing first home buyers with stamp duty to a broad-based land tax.

“The FHOG is meant to assist with housing affordability,” Mr Hall said.

“However, moving from stamp duty will be more effective for first and all home buyers.

“As WA’s population ages, this would be an effective response to support seniors to downsize, and free up housing stock throughout the State.

“Stamp duty has widely been recognised to have a detrimental impact on residential mobility, housing affordability and efficient use of the housing stock.

“Any move to a broad-based annual land tax will need to be phased-in to ensure those who have recently paid stamp duties aren’t unduly disadvantaged”

Mr Hall referred to a recent Australia Institute report about stamp duty calculations, on houses listed on www.realestate.com.au, to demonstrate that on average, stamp duty adds an additional $31,700 to the cost of a house in Perth (The Australia Institute, 2016).

Media Contact:  Stephen Hall, Shelter WA Spokesman   

(08) 9325 6660 or 0499770 245 or 0408426 263

 17 May 2017

A new report has found rents are still not affordable for people on low incomes in Western Australia.

National Shelter, Community Sector Banking and SGS Economics and Planning recently released the Rental Affordability Index (RAI).

The index, which is released on a biannual basis, is an indicator of rental affordability compared with household incomes.

“It is clear Western Australia is seeing a marked improvement in rental affordability, which is good news,” Shelter WA spokesman Stephen Hall said.

“However, the RAI is based on Western Australian households with an income of $85,000, and it is a much different picture for those people living under those incomes.

“For people on income support, for instance the Newstart allowance, rental properties are still extremely unaffordable.

“Also for people on very low incomes, which is less than 50 per cent of the median income of $85,000, most of Western Australia, including the city, remote, rural, and regional areas, remains unaffordable.

Shelter WA wants to see the development of more social housing to support Western Australians doing it tough.

“With more than 18,500 people on the social housing wait list in Western Australia and with an average wait time of three years, the housing needs of Western Australians who are most in need are not being met,” Mr Hall said.

“A key solution is to also encourage the development of more diverse and affordable private sector housing to meet the needs of Western Australians

“Increasing supports, such as Commonwealth Rental Assistance (CRA), can also raise the capacity of households on low incomes, so they can actively participate in society, and contribute back to the economy.”

Fact Box

• Western Australia is the only Australian jurisdiction where average household incomes for households that rent their accommodation are higher in regional areas than in metropolitan Perth.

• When housing is unaffordable, low income households pay a large proportion of their income on rent, often foregoing basic necessities. If this cannot be sustained, it can lead to homelessness.

• With over 18,500) people on the Housing Authority wait list and an average wait time of three years, the housing needs of Western Australians most in need are not being met.

• The average household that rents accommodation in greater Perth pays 21 per cent of its total income on rent – the most affordable of all the metropolitan areas in Australia.

• Some areas north of the river remain unaffordable to severely unaffordable, while some urban pockets can be further considered moderately unaffordable.

Please see the Rental Affordability Index (RAI)

https://tinyurl.com/n4vmm2n

Please see Rental Affordability Index (RAI) map.

http://www.sgsep.com.au/maps/Joseph/RAI_May17/

Media Contact:  Stephen Hall, Shelter WA Spokesman   

(08) 9325 6660 or 0499770 245 or 0408426 263

16 May 2017

Allowing Australians to access their superannuation funds, for a home deposit, is not only unsound economically, it could place young people at risk of living in poverty when they become seniors.