METRONET — SOCIAL
AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND JOBS PACKAGE
761. Hon TIM CLIFFORD to the minister representing the Minister
for Housing:
I refer to the social and
affordable housing package to be delivered under Metronet.
(1) What actions
is the minister undertaking to ensure that adequate social and affordable
housing is available in the interim, before the completion of Metronet?
(2) Have any
existing social or affordable housing dwellings been removed or been flagged
for removal as part of Metronet; and, if so, can the minister please table the
number of dwellings and time frame for each location?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) The Metronet social and affordable housing and
jobs package is on target to deliver an additional 1 390 new homes, including 320 social housing dwellings and
400 affordable purchase opportunities, over the forward estimates
period. Of the 1 390 new homes, up to 300 will have liveable design features. I
am pleased to advise that 163 new affordable homes and 70 new social housing
dwellings have already commenced construction under the Metronet social and
affordable housing and jobs package.
The Metronet social and affordable
housing and jobs package is only one of a number of programs delivering social
and affordable housing in Western Australia. The Department of Communities has
a number of programs that support the state government's ''Affordable
Housing Action Plan 2017–18 to 2019–20'' and the steady
supply of entry-level homes and the right sizing options. An example of these
complementary programs is the department's longstanding affordable
housing program, which since 2011 has been highly successful in providing home
ownership opportunities to Western Australian homebuyers through the provision
of affordable housing options for people on low to moderate incomes. In 2019–20,
161 new affordable homes are scheduled for commencement under the program.
Affordable housing program targets
have been set at 275 completions during 2019–20 and 309 sales. At least
80 per cent of the sales target is dwellings to be sold at below the median
house or unit price, with 30 per cent below the lower quartile house or unit
price. Over the forward estimates period, 604 new dwellings will commence under
the affordable housing program and 1 348 new affordable homes will be
completed. This is in addition to the 1 390 under Metronet.
(2) I table the attached
information.
[See paper 2904.]