❓ Hon Steve Martin asks about the occupancy and vacancy rates of government social housing properties in several WA towns. The answer provides data on returning and non-returning public housing within the specified LGAs as of 28 February 2023, and explains factors influencing vacancy rates.
AnsweredQoN 1288Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the total number of Government social housing properties, and I ask: (a) to date, how many of the social housing properties in the following towns are occupied: (i) Leonora; (ii) Carnarvon; (iii) Kununurra; (iv) Port Hedland; and (v) Laverton; and (b) for the towns in (a) to (e), how many social housing properties are vacant?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 May 2023
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food representing the Minister for Housing
Response time
9 days
(a-b)
Vacancy numbers are always a single point in time number that fluctuates for a range of reasons including maintenance, refurbishments, and redevelopments waiting for relet. Returning properties may be awaiting acceptance of offers from applicants, undergoing minor maintenance repairs or refurbishment prior to new occupants moving in, or undergoing major refurbishment, or a redevelopment.
The time required to refurbish and relet a property can be impacted by the scope of works required, which may be significant. Where maintenance is undertaken to return a property to service, it is done so that they can be relet in clean, safe and working order.
Non-returning properties may be scheduled for demolition due to reaching the end of their useful life, may be in very poor condition or uneconomical to be returned to stock. Other properties may be subject to redevelopment or are undergoing review for potential future use.
Information for Community Housing vacancies is unavailable as these properties are managed by Community Housing Providers. Communities reports public housing data by Local Government Area (LGA).
As at 28 February 2023:
Local Government Area
Total Social Housing
Returning Public Housing
Not Returning Public Housing
Shire of Leonora
44
6
1
Shire of Carnarvon
346
31
8
Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley
491
43
1
Town of Port Headland
655
40
11
Shire of Laverton
25
8
0
Vacancy numbers are always a single point in time number that fluctuates for a range of reasons including maintenance, refurbishments, and redevelopments waiting for relet. Returning properties may be awaiting acceptance of offers from applicants, undergoing minor maintenance repairs or refurbishment prior to new occupants moving in, or undergoing major refurbishment, or a redevelopment.
The time required to refurbish and relet a property can be impacted by the scope of works required, which may be significant. Where maintenance is undertaken to return a property to service, it is done so that they can be relet in clean, safe and working order.
Non-returning properties may be scheduled for demolition due to reaching the end of their useful life, may be in very poor condition or uneconomical to be returned to stock. Other properties may be subject to redevelopment or are undergoing review for potential future use.
Information for Community Housing vacancies is unavailable as these properties are managed by Community Housing Providers. Communities reports public housing data by Local Government Area (LGA).
As at 28 February 2023:
Local Government Area
Total Social Housing
Returning Public Housing
Not Returning Public Housing
Shire of Leonora
44
6
1
Shire of Carnarvon
346
31
8
Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley
491
43
1
Town of Port Headland
655
40
11
Shire of Laverton
25
8
0
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