WA Labor to fund $19.5 million boost in housing and homeless support

• Re-elected Cook Labor Government to increase support for vulnerable Western Australians
• $6 million for new capacity-building program to deliver more community housing
• $10.4 million to expand the HEART outreach program across Perth and Mandurah
• $3.1 million to grow the Housing First Support Services in and around Bunbury

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will invest an additional $19.5 million to support vulnerable Western Australians with more community housing and outreach.

To scale up delivery of social and affordable housing, $6 million will be invested in a new capacity-building program to support community housing organisations (CHOs) to deliver more new homes across the State.

The program will be delivered by ShelterWA in partnership with a sector-based reference group and the State Government, with grants available for eligible CHOs to access the specialist business advice they need to be able to deliver more and bigger housing projects. This will include guidance on growth, risk management, amalgamations and how to successfully apply for funding under the Commonwealth’s Housing Australia Future Fund.

Tools and training will also be made available to smaller CHOs to help them grow and manage larger portfolios of social and affordable housing.

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will also fund a $10.4 million expansion of its Homeless Engagement Assessment Response Team (HEART) outreach program across Perth and Mandurah.

The HEART model provides responsive, assertive outreach and intensive support primarily for people who are experiencing chronic rough sleeping, directly connecting them with health and mental health services, transitional housing and other specialist services.

It currently operates in the Perth CBD, Midland, Joondalup, Mandurah and Fremantle.

WA Labor’s commitment will expand HEART into Perth’s:

• Western and southern corridors – City of Melville, City of Fremantle, City of Cockburn, City of Kwinana, City of Rockingham and the City of Mandurah;
• Central corridor – Town of Victoria Park, City of Belmont, Town of Vincent, Town of Cambridge, City of Subiaco, Town of Cottesloe and the Town of Claremont;
• South-east corridor – City of Canning, City of Gosnells, City of Kalamunda and the City of Armadale;
• North-east corridor – City of Bayswater, Town of Bassendean and City of Swan; and
• North-west corridor – City of Stirling, City of Joondalup and the City of Wanneroo.

A further $3.1 million will be invested to boost delivery of critical homelessness services in Bunbury and surrounding areas, with additional capacity for the proven Housing First Homelessness Services to assist more vulnerable rough sleepers to find and maintain suitable accommodation.

WA Labor’s commitments build on the Cook Labor Government’s record $4.5 billion investment in housing and homelessness measures, including delivery of more than 2,700 social homes with a further 1,000 under contract or construction, increased funding to ensure continuation of 120 homelessness services across the State, construction of Common Ground facilities in East Perth and Mandurah, and acquisition of the Murray Street Hotel to provide supported accommodation.

Comments attributed to Housing and Homelessness Minister John Carey:

“We are committed to a Housing First approach to addressing homelessness and have backed this up with the Cook Labor Government’s record $4.5 billion housing and homelessness investment."

“Building the capacity of WA’s community housing sector is the next obvious step as we work to accelerate delivery of new social and affordable housing supply in our State."

“Since we launched HEART in 2021, it has successfully connected more than 400 vulnerable Western Australians with accommodation and supported a further 325 to return to Country."

“Only WA Labor has a plan and the experience to continue working with the sector to boost services and deliver the housing WA’s most vulnerable residents need.”