The Department

LINKS

Introduction Public Housing Keystart GROH Country Housing Land and Housing Development Aboriginal Housing Environmental Policy Portfolio Legislation People with Disabilities Sustainability Review and Rebuild

The Department of Housing covers:

• Public housing
• Bond Assistance
• Community Housing
• Aboriginal Housing
• Government Regional Officers' Housing
• Country Housing Authority
• Keystart Home Loan Schemes
• The development and sale of land in Western Australia.
• Policy and planning.

STATEMENT OF STRATEGIC INTENT AND PRIORITIES A basic overview of the Strategic Intent and Priorties of the former Department of Housing. Access the Statement of Strategic Intent and Priorities 2007/08 document. (PDF 384 kB, Jan 2008). More about PDFs.

Housing Services is the Department's rental accommodation division, managing approximately 39,000 tenancies across the State. Community Housing (rental housing managed by local government or non-government not-for-profit organisations) and Bond Assistance (interest-free loans to obtain accommodation in the private rental market) fall under this division, with close links to Aboriginal Housing. The Department also has a strong focus on providing home ownership opportunities to public housing tenants.

KEYSTART provides government backed home ownership schemes to assist low to moderate income earners with housing finance. It is expected to provide $530 million in low deposit housing loans for people on low to moderate incomes over the next financial year. Demand for loans through the scheme has risen strongly, with 52,160 Western Australians, who might have trouble accessing finance via the major banks, assisted since Keystart's inception in 1989. Other loan schemes provided by the Department include GoodStart for public housing tenants and those on the waiting list, Access Home Loans for people with disabilities and the Aboriginal Home Ownership Scheme.

GOVERNMENT REGIONAL OFFICERS' HOUSING is the Western Australian Government agency responsible for providing housing for employees of most State Government agencies in all parts of Western Australia apart from the Perth metropolitan area, Mandurah and Bunbury.

THE COUNTRY HOUSING AUTHORITY gives farmers, businesses and service providers in rural and remote areas of Western Australia access to affordable housing finance.

LAND AND HOUSING DEVELOPMENT is a separate, transparent business unit providing land and houses to low and middle income earners. Land and Housing Development also uses the joint venture vehicle with the private sector for project management. The Urban Renewal project, the largest urban renewal and redevelopment project ever undertaken in Western Australia, will ensure public housing is dispersed more evenly across the community.

ABORIGINAL HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE provides specialised advice and support to the Housing Minister and the Board on Aboriginal matters. Aboriginal Housing and Infrastructure delivers programs designed by the Aboriginal Housing Board aimed at improving housing options for Aboriginal people. These programs include supporting tenants who are either applying for public housing tenancies or are already in tenancies; supplementing the mainstream public housing program with Aboriginal-specific housing in urban areas, and supporting Aboriginal communities by providing new housing, infrastructure and management and maintenance programs. Aboriginal Housing programs are designed to provide added support to Aboriginal housing organisations to ensure viability and effective management, maintain and enhance support and education to Aboriginal tenants, foster Aboriginal home ownership (through the Aboriginal Home Ownership Scheme) and to look for more opportunities for joint ventures with Aboriginal groups.

A statement of support for the State Government's commitment to the principles of sustainability and their implementation in Western Australia.

Open a PDF copy of the Environmental Policy Statement (26kB). More information on PDF documents.

Access the Sustainable Land Development Study -- Phase One and Phase Two Reports.

Members of the public can now access the Department of Housing Portfolio Legislation on the Policy and Planning web page on the Internet.

The link on this page will enable you to view an official record of the legislation on the State Law Publisher website.

Open a PDF copy of the Strategic Housing Policy for People with Disabilities April 2004 (109kB) or the Disability Service Plan 2004 - 2008 (121 kB) . For more information on PDF documents, click on the PDF icon to the right.

The Department of Housing recognises that it has an important role to play in supporting the State Government’s vision of a sustainable Western Australia. This booklet contains information about the Department of Housing's sustainability initiatives.

Open a PDF copy of Sustainability 2005 (1.0 MB). More information on PDF documents.

The general purpose of the Department of Housing review is to consider the most appropriate roles, responsibilities, organisational structures and funding models to ensure effective delivery of the Department's services and outcomes in the context of Government priorities, policies and principles. The review will have regard to the recommendations of other relevant review initiatives.

Review and Rebuild
Projects
Discussion Papers
Terms of Reference
Contact List