❓ Dr. Pettitt requests detailed monthly data on public housing occupancy and non-tenantable properties. The Minister provides limited data for two dates and explains difficulties in providing the full request due to resource constraints and data collection practices.
AnsweredQoN 2034Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer
to public housing properties managed by the State Government, and I ask, will
the Minister table the following data, broken down by region and property type,
for the last day of each month from 31 January 2023 to 30 April 2024: (a) the occupancy rate of all properties; (b) the number of properties deemed to be non-tenantable; and (c) in reference to the properties in (b): (i) the number the Government has decided to dispose of; (ii) the number the Government has decided to redevelop; (iii) the number currently under consideration for redevelopment; and (iv) for each of the past 5 calendar or financial years, the median time for
redevelopment of a non-tenantable property to be completed?
to public housing properties managed by the State Government, and I ask, will
the Minister table the following data, broken down by region and property type,
for the last day of each month from 31 January 2023 to 30 April 2024: (a) the occupancy rate of all properties; (b) the number of properties deemed to be non-tenantable; and (c) in reference to the properties in (b): (i) the number the Government has decided to dispose of; (ii) the number the Government has decided to redevelop; (iii) the number currently under consideration for redevelopment; and (iv) for each of the past 5 calendar or financial years, the median time for
redevelopment of a non-tenantable property to be completed?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 June 2024
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food representing the Minister for Housing
Response time
12 days
(a – b)
The Department of Communities (Communities) maintains a significant property portfolio and manages it to best meet the needs of the community and ensure that public housing properties are safe, habitable, and in working order.
Occupancy rate data is always a single point in time number that fluctuates for a range of reasons. Properties may be awaiting acceptance of offers from applicants, undergoing maintenance repairs, or refurbishment prior to new occupants moving in. This also includes properties that have been spot purchased, which may require refurbishment to be brought up to clean, safe and working order.
Levels of occupancy will fluctuate between regions for a range of reasons including areas where there are higher levels of ageing stock or where stock is located in areas of low demand.
There are 36,884 public housing properties within the system and Communities advises that the Member’s request for 16 months of data on occupancy rates and ‘non-tenantable’ properties is not regularly reported on and cannot be gathered without an unreasonable diversion of government resources.
The following data represents total occupied and vacant public housing stock as at 31 January 2023 and 30 April 2024.
Vacant housing stock is categorised between ‘returning’ and ‘not-returning’. Returning properties will undergo maintenance on any necessary repairs to be made available and then relet to an applicant on the wait list. Not-returning properties represent dwellings that have been earmarked for a purpose other than reletting to an applicant on the wait list, such as where the property is being considered for demolition, redevelopment, and asset transfer.
Public Housing State-wide Stock, By Region as at 31 January 2023
Region
Occupied
Returning Voids
Not-Returning Voids
1 North Metro
11,411
346
212
2 South Metro
6,669
259
29
3 East Metro
6,404
169
8
4 Great Southern
1,095
31
4
5 Southwest
2,354
68
40
6 Goldfields
859
118
14
7 Midwest/Gascoyne
1,439
190
41
8 Pilbara
1,246
139
37
A West Kimberley
1,178
40
5
B Wheatbelt
962
49
11
C East Kimberley
576
43
4
Public Housing State-wide Stock, By Region as at 30 April 2024
Region
Occupied
Returning Voids
Not-Returning Voids
1 North Metro
11,678
327
171
2 South Metro
13,480
409
69
4 Great Southern
1,133
28
6
5 Southwest
2,403
84
19
6 Goldfields
841
150
5
7 Midwest/Gascoyne
1,472
177
50
8 Pilbara
1,312
97
39
A West Kimberley
1,194
46
9
B Wheatbelt
966
55
25
C East Kimberley
593
44
2
*Occupied: Includes Occupied and ‘Other Use’ Properties. ‘Other Use’ includes externally managed properties and tenancies. **As at 1 July 2023, the South Metro Region has been updated in corporate reporting to reflect Communities’ regional structure. East Metro forms part of the South Metro Region.
(c) (i) – (iv)
Social housing may be removed from stock for a number of reasons.
The State Government remains committed to increasing and maintaining the supply of social housing across Western Australia. In recent years, there have been historical low disposals and sales, many of which were to tenants to support them in their journey into home ownership.
Homes may be considered for redevelopment or demolished for a number of reasons including urban and regional renewal to help revitalise communities; natural hazards such as fire or flooding; intentional or accidental damage, resulting in the property no longer being fit for purpose and or when they are no longer viable to repair.
Communities is unable to predict how many dwellings will be sold or disposed of into the future as social housing may be sold or demolished due to natural events and intentional or accidental damage. Redevelopment timeframes are contingent upon a range of factors including construction, builder availability, and value for money considerations amongst other viability assessments. Between 01 July 2023 and 31 March 2024, a total of 157 social housing dwellings were demolished or sold out of a total of 36,884 properties – representing less than half of one percent of overall stock. Of the 157 dwellings, 93 were demolished as part of urban renewal programs like Subiaco East and North Beach.
The Department of Communities (Communities) maintains a significant property portfolio and manages it to best meet the needs of the community and ensure that public housing properties are safe, habitable, and in working order.
Occupancy rate data is always a single point in time number that fluctuates for a range of reasons. Properties may be awaiting acceptance of offers from applicants, undergoing maintenance repairs, or refurbishment prior to new occupants moving in. This also includes properties that have been spot purchased, which may require refurbishment to be brought up to clean, safe and working order.
Levels of occupancy will fluctuate between regions for a range of reasons including areas where there are higher levels of ageing stock or where stock is located in areas of low demand.
There are 36,884 public housing properties within the system and Communities advises that the Member’s request for 16 months of data on occupancy rates and ‘non-tenantable’ properties is not regularly reported on and cannot be gathered without an unreasonable diversion of government resources.
The following data represents total occupied and vacant public housing stock as at 31 January 2023 and 30 April 2024.
Vacant housing stock is categorised between ‘returning’ and ‘not-returning’. Returning properties will undergo maintenance on any necessary repairs to be made available and then relet to an applicant on the wait list. Not-returning properties represent dwellings that have been earmarked for a purpose other than reletting to an applicant on the wait list, such as where the property is being considered for demolition, redevelopment, and asset transfer.
Public Housing State-wide Stock, By Region as at 31 January 2023
Region
Occupied
Returning Voids
Not-Returning Voids
1 North Metro
11,411
346
212
2 South Metro
6,669
259
29
3 East Metro
6,404
169
8
4 Great Southern
1,095
31
4
5 Southwest
2,354
68
40
6 Goldfields
859
118
14
7 Midwest/Gascoyne
1,439
190
41
8 Pilbara
1,246
139
37
A West Kimberley
1,178
40
5
B Wheatbelt
962
49
11
C East Kimberley
576
43
4
Public Housing State-wide Stock, By Region as at 30 April 2024
Region
Occupied
Returning Voids
Not-Returning Voids
1 North Metro
11,678
327
171
2 South Metro
13,480
409
69
4 Great Southern
1,133
28
6
5 Southwest
2,403
84
19
6 Goldfields
841
150
5
7 Midwest/Gascoyne
1,472
177
50
8 Pilbara
1,312
97
39
A West Kimberley
1,194
46
9
B Wheatbelt
966
55
25
C East Kimberley
593
44
2
*Occupied: Includes Occupied and ‘Other Use’ Properties. ‘Other Use’ includes externally managed properties and tenancies. **As at 1 July 2023, the South Metro Region has been updated in corporate reporting to reflect Communities’ regional structure. East Metro forms part of the South Metro Region.
(c) (i) – (iv)
Social housing may be removed from stock for a number of reasons.
The State Government remains committed to increasing and maintaining the supply of social housing across Western Australia. In recent years, there have been historical low disposals and sales, many of which were to tenants to support them in their journey into home ownership.
Homes may be considered for redevelopment or demolished for a number of reasons including urban and regional renewal to help revitalise communities; natural hazards such as fire or flooding; intentional or accidental damage, resulting in the property no longer being fit for purpose and or when they are no longer viable to repair.
Communities is unable to predict how many dwellings will be sold or disposed of into the future as social housing may be sold or demolished due to natural events and intentional or accidental damage. Redevelopment timeframes are contingent upon a range of factors including construction, builder availability, and value for money considerations amongst other viability assessments. Between 01 July 2023 and 31 March 2024, a total of 157 social housing dwellings were demolished or sold out of a total of 36,884 properties – representing less than half of one percent of overall stock. Of the 157 dwellings, 93 were demolished as part of urban renewal programs like Subiaco East and North Beach.
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