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Parliamentary Questions


Question On Notice No. 3374 asked in the Legislative Council on 3 November 2020 by Hon Tim Clifford

Question Directed to the: Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Housing
Parliament: 40 Session: 1


Question

(1) Is the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority inclusionary zoning policy being applied in the Subi East Development:
(a) can the Government please confirm how much social and affordable housing is planned within the Subi East Development
?
(2) The Western Australian Housing Strategy will connect 150,000 Western Australian households to a home by 2030, can you please provide a breakdown of the housing opportunities within the strategy allocated for these 150,000 households
?
(3) The Western Australian Housing Strategy has a target of a six per cent net increase in social homes over the next ten years (2,600 homes):
(a) how does a net increase in 260 new social homes per year compare to the net increase in social homes each year over the last ten years; and
(b) how will this target meet projected demand for social housing given there are currently 14,000 people on the social housing waitlist and over 9,000 people experiencing homelessness?
(4) Has the Government undertaken any modelling to understand the impact of unemployment increases on the demand for social housing and, if so, what is this demand and how will it be met?
(5) Has the Government undertaken modelling to understand the impact of the end of the moratorium on evictions and rent increases on low, low to moderate and moderate income renters, and what this means for social housing demand:
(a) if yes to (5), what does this modelling show?
(6) What is the Government’s plan to support a wave of evictions and potential homelessness when the moratorium on evictions and rent increases ends in March and rents are expected to increase by 20 per cent?

Answered on 25 November 2020

(1) Within the Subi East Development, Development Policy 9 of the Subiaco Redevelopment Scheme (Affordable and Diverse Housing) applies.


(a) 12 per cent of all dwellings will be developed as affordable housing, including social housing, affordable owner occupier housing and key worker housing.


(2) The Strategy adopts an agile approach to respond to changes in housing need and demand over time, including through construction of new social and affordable rentals, financial assistance to support households to access and
sustain rental housing and access to finance for home ownership. However, while the allocation of housing opportunities is not fixed, the following targets are being pursued concurrently:

• A six per cent net increase in social housing by 2030,
• By 2030, provide a minimum of 20,000 low-deposit home loans through Keystart to enable access to home ownership,
• Develop a more diverse rental sector and support 130,000 households to access a private rental home, and
• Provide a minimum of 500 supported rental opportunities.


(3)(a) Between 2010/11 and 2019/2020, the State achieved a net increase of 908 social homes. The net increase of 2,600 social homes by 2030, will need to take into account replacement of any existing social homes that
are redeveloped, sold or beyond their economic life.


(b)Supporting those most vulnerable in our community goes beyond building new social housing. The Strategy s Social Housing Framework will deliver a reformed social housing system that supports people while they are on the waitlist to enable them to access alternative, sustainable housing options that are right for their households and place them in a position to maintain a tenancy in any of a number of housing options.


The Strategy also continues to focus on creating more affordable rental options, and supporting people to access affordable home ownership,as well as looking at interventions to help people to sustain their current tenancies and mortgages.


(4) The Government models a range of circumstances that could impact on demand for the social housing system. The Department of Communities has a variety of policy measures available . These include the investments in social housing made through the $394million Metronet Social and Affordable Housing Package, the $151 million Housing and Homelessness Investment Package and the $319million Social Housing Economic Recovery Package. In addition to these investments, the Department of Communities provides a range of services including rental assistance and bond loans to those in housing need, who may not specifically require a public house.


(5) No modelling has been undertaken in relation to the impact of the end of the moratorium on evictions.


(a) Not applicable.


(6) The WA residential rental market is cyclical and influenced by a range of factors, including long-term trends of increased demand and reduced supply, that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.


WA has experienced a significant decline in private rental investment since 2015, and a marked reduction in the supply of new dwellings in 2019, which has in turn impacted supply in the private residential tenancy market.


A plan for implementing affordable housing solutions across WA is being prepared. It will outline priority actions to stabilise households in their own or rented home, using existing responses such as bond assistance loans and shared equity mortgages, and through exploration of new responses to deliver affordability including keyworker build-to-rent and new finance models, derived from changes to strata laws.