Labor rolls out 14 new build-to-rent projects amid housing availability crunch

State and Federal Labor will partner to deliver more than 1100 social and affordable homes near train stations across Perth, as part of a $443 million boost to housing stock amid demand pressures. Premier Roger Cook unveiled the 14 build-to-rent developments on Wednesday, funded through the Federal Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund and the State Government. Of the homes, about one in every five will bolster WA’s social housing stocks, while the remainder will be managed through community service providers. Ranging from three to nine storeys, half will be adjacent to new train stations including Ellenbrook, Cannington, Midland, Redcliffe and Ballajura. Developments will also be delivered in Wellard, Woodbridge, White Gum Valley, Rivervale, Butler, Subiaco, Bassendean, Kelmscott and Perth City Link. The announcement came coincidentally on the same day as the release of new data from Anglicare, which showed there were limited homes in WA affordable for a family on welfare payments. Housing Minister John Carey said the announcement was unprecedented, and would provide relief to the rental market, which had already grown to a 2.5 per cent availability rate. “This is big, bold, ambitious and unprecedented for any government to construct 14 major build to rent projects across Perth,” he said. “We’ve added nearly 3000 social homes, and the announcement today is another example of where we’re not drawing a line in the sand and saying ‘that’s enough, that’s done’. “We know that the answers to the housing pressures and the rental pressures is supply, supply, supply, and that’s why you’ve seen our government do everything it can to boost housing supply across the continuum.” Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said between Labor’s record and a current worker shortage, he doubted the Government would be able to build all the projects. “The easy part is announcing 1000 new homes. The difficult part, the challenge, is to deliver those new homes,” he said. “This is a State Government that have a terrible record of delivery when it comes to social housing, they don’t have the runs on the board. I don’t know why it magically changes with this announcement.” Shadow housing minister David Bolt said the Anglicare report was a “damning indictment” on the Government. The AnglicareWA snapshot found a single parent on minimum wage would be able to afford just 42 rentals across the entire State, which is one per cent of all all listings, or just one rental in Perth. It also shows a couple with two children on minimum wage, who are also receiving Family Tax Benefit A, would be able to afford only 149 rentals across the entire State and just 57 in Perth. Properties are deemed affordable if they cost less than 30 per cent of their income and are suitable if they have enough bedrooms for the occupants.

Labor rolls out 14 new build-to-rent projects amid housing availability crunch

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