As Shelter WA unveils its bold election platform, new analysis reveals the number of social and affordable housing dwellings that must be created every year in each West Australian electorate to address the current and future demand of more than 85,000 homes by 2041.
With the state election just months away, Shelter WA is calling on all parties to back its election priorities, including committing to adding at least 5,000 social and affordable homes to WA’s housing stock every year.
Shelter WA’s analysis* shows the state electorate of Mandurah has the highest need for social and affordable housing requiring approximately 188 additional homes annually.
The metro electorates of Armadale, Butler and Mirrabooka each need at least 150 additional social and affordable homes created every year, while the regional electorates of Bunbury, Dawesville and Kimberley require at least 100 each.
Shelter WA said the government could get much closer to meeting these targets through measures such as building, converting or buying social and affordable housing, requiring new multi-residential private developments in metro areas to have a minimum of 10 per cent social and affordable homes, and ensuring half of all housing built on government land is social and affordable.
The peak body also proposed the creation of a WA Affordable Rental Housing Scheme to incentivise and deliver urgently needed new affordable rental supply and a WA Housing Future Fund, which would ensure a portion of the state’s surplus is permanently invested in social and affordable housing.
Shelter WA chief executive Kath Snell acknowledged the Cook government’s efforts to deliver an additional 2,500 social homes since 2021/2022, but said much more is required to meet surging demand.
“The housing crisis in WA is at a breaking point. Without bold, urgent action, we will see many more Western Australians without a safe, decent, affordable place to call home,” Ms Snell said.
“WA faces a critical shortage of homes that are affordable. With more than 20,000 households on the social housing waitlist, plus more and more people priced out of the private rental market, this is leaving every electorate desperately short of supply to meet demand. No matter where you’re living and voting, we need hundreds of additional social and affordable homes in every state electorate.
“Setting evidence-based targets for social and affordable housing is a crucial step towards making homes available to those in need, in the areas we need, right across WA. Setting these targets will hopefully help to boost greater commitment and unlock more innovative approaches to the delivery of social and affordable housing in WA.
“We’re calling on all parties to commit to a social and affordable housing target of at least 5,000 homes every year. It must be underpinned by substantial investment that matches the reality of need in our neighbourhoods.”
Election priorities include:
- Fix the shortage of social and affordable housing: e.g. set bold targets of 5,000 additional social and affordable homes annually, and establish a WA Affordable Rental Housing Scheme
- Relieve cost of living pressures for vulnerable households and renters: e.g. rent stabilisation, energy efficiency retrofits in social homes, and introduce minimum rental standards for all rental homes
- End homelessness, starting with rough sleeping: e.g. rapid conversions of vacant buildings for supported accommodation, abolish no grounds evictions, expand the by-name list, and expand successful services like Youth Foyers and the supportive landlord program
- Boost capacity of the homelessness and community housing sectors: e.g. fund specialist workers in homelessness services, introduce a community housing capacity building program, and transfer management of social homes to community housing organisations
- Close the housing gap: e.g. establish a WA First Nations housing peak body, expedite and expand the completion of First Nations short-stay accommodation, and introduce a statewide specialist First Nations tenancy support program
- Make new homes accessible: commit to adopting in full the national liveability and accessibility standards.
"Addressing WA’s housing crisis requires a bold vision, new ideas and sustained commitment by government, industry and the community," Ms Snell said.
"By committing to evidence-based targets and policies, the government can create a future where every Western Australian has access to safe and affordable housing. Our communities can’t afford to wait. The status quo isn’t keeping pace with the crisis we’re in."
*Shelter WA’s electorate analysis is based on UNSW Unmet Housing Need data capturing current (2021) and future (2041) need. Despite the addition of more than 2,500 social homes since 2021-22, Shelter WA estimates that the need for social and affordable housing has not reduced considering that since the same year at least 2,000 affordable homes have been lost as they exit the National Rental Affordability Scheme; and rents and demand for social housing indicated on the social housing waitlist have also increased.
Media contact: Sofie Wainwright 0403 920 301
