❓ Mr. Krsticevic asks about social housing stock, sales, and acquisitions over the past five years. The Minister provides figures and explains the government's strategic portfolio management approach, including demolitions and new builds to better meet current needs.
AnsweredQoN 6178Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
For each of the past five years and this calendar year to date can you please advise: (a) the total number of social housing properties; (b) the number of social housing properties sold; and (c) the number of social housing properties purchased/built or otherwise acquired?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 August 2020
Responded by
Minister for Housing
Response time
9 days
(a) The total number of social housing properties at the end of the past five financial years is as follows:
Financial Year
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
Social Housing Stock
43,196
44,087
43,863
43,615
42,932
While there has been a 264 property reduction to the State’s social housing stock since the 2015/16 Financial Year, strategic portfolio management is resulting in a stock portfolio that is more fit for purpose, and a continued decline in the social housing waitlist over the past 4 years.
The Department of Communities continues to actively address the typology and quality of its asset base, and subsequent amenity to its clients, through disposing of assets having reached the end of their useful lives and replacing them with dwellings “right-sized” to better respond to the changing needs of applicants today, such as the mandatory inclusion of silver liveable homes standard on new dwellings. This evolving response is well illustrated by the demolition of the 300 properties comprising Brownlie Towers; although homes that served many well for many years, these complexes were ultimately beyond their usefulness and in no way representative of the State Government’s modern approach to social housing. Bentley will be now be home to a new generation of contemporary social housing, integrated into the community.
(b) The total number of social housing properties sold during each of the past five financial years is as follows:
Financial Year
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
Social Housing Sales
127
92
296
234
196
(c) The number of social housing properties purchased or built in the last five financial years is as follows:
Financial Year
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
Construction
228
597
52
20
47
Spot Purchase
61
359
37
50
18
Total
289
956
89
70
65
Figures for Construction reflect properties completed in that financial year. Asset transfers between programs by Communities have not been included.
Financial Year
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
Social Housing Stock
43,196
44,087
43,863
43,615
42,932
While there has been a 264 property reduction to the State’s social housing stock since the 2015/16 Financial Year, strategic portfolio management is resulting in a stock portfolio that is more fit for purpose, and a continued decline in the social housing waitlist over the past 4 years.
The Department of Communities continues to actively address the typology and quality of its asset base, and subsequent amenity to its clients, through disposing of assets having reached the end of their useful lives and replacing them with dwellings “right-sized” to better respond to the changing needs of applicants today, such as the mandatory inclusion of silver liveable homes standard on new dwellings. This evolving response is well illustrated by the demolition of the 300 properties comprising Brownlie Towers; although homes that served many well for many years, these complexes were ultimately beyond their usefulness and in no way representative of the State Government’s modern approach to social housing. Bentley will be now be home to a new generation of contemporary social housing, integrated into the community.
(b) The total number of social housing properties sold during each of the past five financial years is as follows:
Financial Year
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2019-20
Social Housing Sales
127
92
296
234
196
(c) The number of social housing properties purchased or built in the last five financial years is as follows:
Financial Year
2015/16
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
Construction
228
597
52
20
47
Spot Purchase
61
359
37
50
18
Total
289
956
89
70
65
Figures for Construction reflect properties completed in that financial year. Asset transfers between programs by Communities have not been included.
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