❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH) properties, focusing on vacancy rates and reasons for vacancies across different regions.
AnsweredQoN 901Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH) properties does the Department of Communities administer for each of the
regions? (2) For each region, how many GROH properties are currently vacant, and for
how long have they been vacant? (3) For each region, what was the average vacancy time of GROH properties in the financial year 2021-2022? (4) For each region, what was the longest period a GROH property was vacant in 2021-2022?
regions? (2) For each region, how many GROH properties are currently vacant, and for
how long have they been vacant? (3) For each region, what was the average vacancy time of GROH properties in the financial year 2021-2022? (4) For each region, what was the longest period a GROH property was vacant in 2021-2022?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 October 2022
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Minister for Housing
Response time
4 days
1. As at 30 August 2022, there were 5,012 properties in the Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH) portfolio across the State, located in the following regions:
Region
Properties
North Metro
1
South Metro
29
East Metro
2
Great Southern
263
Southwest
215
Goldfields
786
Midwest/Gascoyne
575
Pilbara
1348
West Kimberley
800
East Kimberley
418
Wheatbelt
575
Total
5,012
2. As at 30 August 2022, there were 596 vacant GROH properties across the State. Of these, 472 were allocated to client agencies for recruitment and staffing requirements and 124 were unallocated. Allocated and unallocated vacant properties by regions are provided in the table below:
Region
Allocated Vacant
Unallocated Vacant
Total
North Metro
-
1
1
South Metro
5
2
7
East Metro
-
-
-
Great Southern
34
2
36
Southwest
17
3
20
Goldfields
75
21
96
Midwest/Gascoyne
72
12
84
Pilbara
102
40
142
West Kimberley
62
14
76
East Kimberley
39
8
47
Wheatbelt
66
21
87
Total
472
124
596
3-4
Allocated vacant properties by length of time vacant
Region
Vacant 0-3 months
Vacant 3-6 months
Vacant 6-12 months
Vacant 12+ months
North Metro
-
-
-
-
South Metro
2
2
1
-
East Metro
-
-
-
-
Great Southern
13
12
6
3
Southwest
11
3
3
-
Goldfields
32
13
11
19
Midwest/Gascoyne
39
12
15
6
Pilbara
62
23
9
8
West Kimberley
43
12
6
1
East Kimberley
22
7
8
2
Wheatbelt
28
12
12
14
Total
252
96
71
53
Short term vacancies of allocated properties are expected due to staff change overs or agencies recruitment. Of the allocated vacant properties, a total of 252 have been vacant for less than three months.
The Department of Communities monitors vacancies of allocated properties and may reallocate properties to other client agencies if the dwelling has been vacant for more than six months.
Unallocated vacant properties by length of time vacant
Region
Vacant 0-3 months
Vacant 3-6 months
Vacant 6-12 months
Vacant 12+ months
North Metro
-
-
-
1
South Metro
-
-
-
2
East Metro
-
-
-
-
Great Southern
-
-
-
2
Southwest
-
-
-
3
Goldfields
-
1
-
20
Midwest/Gascoyne
3
2
1
6
Pilbara
1
-
2
37
West Kimberley
5
-
1
8
East Kimberley
-
1
2
5
Wheatbelt
-
2
1
18
Total
9
6
7
102
The above unallocated properties may be vacant for a number of reasons, including new properties coming into the portfolio not yet assigned to a client agency, where public sector employees seek private housing rather than GROH; aged stock; stock poorly located in the district/town; the district/town being in decline due to economic factors resulting in lower demand; and, awaiting refurbishment or earmarked for redevelopment.
The Department of Communities assesses all vacant properties, including long-term vacant GROH properties with no demand from client agencies, with a view to bringing these properties back online as soon as possible. Where appropriate, GROH properties that no longer meet the requirements and demand of client agencies are being considered to be made available for clients on the public housing wait list.
In each region there are properties which are long term voids that have been vacant for significant periods, including for the whole of the 2021-22 financial year. These properties include those vacant due to being flagged for demolition due to condition, are legacy assets not suitable as residential tenancies, are properties located in very remote locations with limited demand, and properties pending or undergoing significant refurbishment.
Region
Properties
North Metro
1
South Metro
29
East Metro
2
Great Southern
263
Southwest
215
Goldfields
786
Midwest/Gascoyne
575
Pilbara
1348
West Kimberley
800
East Kimberley
418
Wheatbelt
575
Total
5,012
2. As at 30 August 2022, there were 596 vacant GROH properties across the State. Of these, 472 were allocated to client agencies for recruitment and staffing requirements and 124 were unallocated. Allocated and unallocated vacant properties by regions are provided in the table below:
Region
Allocated Vacant
Unallocated Vacant
Total
North Metro
-
1
1
South Metro
5
2
7
East Metro
-
-
-
Great Southern
34
2
36
Southwest
17
3
20
Goldfields
75
21
96
Midwest/Gascoyne
72
12
84
Pilbara
102
40
142
West Kimberley
62
14
76
East Kimberley
39
8
47
Wheatbelt
66
21
87
Total
472
124
596
3-4
Allocated vacant properties by length of time vacant
Region
Vacant 0-3 months
Vacant 3-6 months
Vacant 6-12 months
Vacant 12+ months
North Metro
-
-
-
-
South Metro
2
2
1
-
East Metro
-
-
-
-
Great Southern
13
12
6
3
Southwest
11
3
3
-
Goldfields
32
13
11
19
Midwest/Gascoyne
39
12
15
6
Pilbara
62
23
9
8
West Kimberley
43
12
6
1
East Kimberley
22
7
8
2
Wheatbelt
28
12
12
14
Total
252
96
71
53
Short term vacancies of allocated properties are expected due to staff change overs or agencies recruitment. Of the allocated vacant properties, a total of 252 have been vacant for less than three months.
The Department of Communities monitors vacancies of allocated properties and may reallocate properties to other client agencies if the dwelling has been vacant for more than six months.
Unallocated vacant properties by length of time vacant
Region
Vacant 0-3 months
Vacant 3-6 months
Vacant 6-12 months
Vacant 12+ months
North Metro
-
-
-
1
South Metro
-
-
-
2
East Metro
-
-
-
-
Great Southern
-
-
-
2
Southwest
-
-
-
3
Goldfields
-
1
-
20
Midwest/Gascoyne
3
2
1
6
Pilbara
1
-
2
37
West Kimberley
5
-
1
8
East Kimberley
-
1
2
5
Wheatbelt
-
2
1
18
Total
9
6
7
102
The above unallocated properties may be vacant for a number of reasons, including new properties coming into the portfolio not yet assigned to a client agency, where public sector employees seek private housing rather than GROH; aged stock; stock poorly located in the district/town; the district/town being in decline due to economic factors resulting in lower demand; and, awaiting refurbishment or earmarked for redevelopment.
The Department of Communities assesses all vacant properties, including long-term vacant GROH properties with no demand from client agencies, with a view to bringing these properties back online as soon as possible. Where appropriate, GROH properties that no longer meet the requirements and demand of client agencies are being considered to be made available for clients on the public housing wait list.
In each region there are properties which are long term voids that have been vacant for significant periods, including for the whole of the 2021-22 financial year. These properties include those vacant due to being flagged for demolition due to condition, are legacy assets not suitable as residential tenancies, are properties located in very remote locations with limited demand, and properties pending or undergoing significant refurbishment.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.