Social Housing- Transfer to Community Housing Providers

(1) Has the Department of Housing begun the process of transferring to community housing providers properties built under the commonwealth and state social housing stimulus programs?

(2) Which community housing providers will receive properties as part of these transfers?

(3) How many units will each provider receive, and where are the properties located?

(4) Were there any unsuccessful applicants for the stimulus properties; and, if so, why were their applications unsuccessful?

(5) Are there any plans at this time to stage another set of transfers of public housing stock to community housing providers?

Hon NORMAN MOORE replied:

I thank the member for some notice of this question.

(1) Yes.

(2) Access Housing Australia Ltd and Foundation Housing Ltd.

(3) Access Housing will receive 223 dwelling units throughout 15 suburbs in the south metro area. These suburbs are Armadale, Bertram, Dawesville, Forrestfield, Gosnells, Greenfields, Hamilton Hill, Kelmscott, Kwinana, Langford, Medina, Pinjarra, Queens Park, Rockingham and Wellard. Access Housing will also receive 26 dwelling units throughout three suburbs in the Bunbury area. These suburbs are Australind, Bunbury and Dalyellup. Foundation Housing will receive 257 dwelling units throughout 11 suburbs in the north metro area. These suburbs are Balga, Ballajura, Banksia Grove, Butler, Carramar, Ellenbrook, Girrawheen, Glendalough, Ridgewood, Westminster and Woodbridge.

(4) Yes. All bids were put through a stringent environment evaluation process, with the capacity of applicants assessed against specified financial, developmental and organisational criteria. In this instance, these unsuccessful providers did not appropriately meet the criteria.

(5) The department is currently negotiating with community housing providers to transfer properties that did not receive a successful bid through the current process.