Background
In November 2019, the Premier and the Minister for Community Services launched All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia’s 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020–2030 (the Strategy). The Strategy seeks to introduce a Housing First approach to homelessness that prioritises getting people into permanent housing with flexible and tailored supports to follow. This is seen as a key foundation of the system change needed to end chronic homelessness.
Alongside the launch of the Strategy, funding was announced to deliver the Housing First Homelessness Initiative. The Housing First Homelessness Initiative (HFHI) is a discrete initiative under the Strategy that provides and wrap around support to people sleeping rough in the Perth Metropolitan Area, Rockingham/Mandurah, Bunbury and Geraldton.
The Housing First Principles for Australia are:
- People have a right to a home.
- Housing and support are separated.
- Flexible support for as long as needed.
- Choice and self-determination.
- Active engagement without coercion.
- Social and community inclusion.
- Recovery orientated practice.
- Harm reduction approach.
The Housing First Homelessness Initiative (HFHI) includes:
- The Housing First System Coordinator
- The Housing First Support Services – Metropolitan and Regional, including a specialist Aboriginal Housing First Support Service.
- An Evaluation of the Housing First Homelessness Initiative.
The Housing First System Coordinator
The Housing First System Coordinator is responsible for the overall coordination of the HFHI across the identified Locations. The Housing First System Coordinator is responsible for information sharing protocols to ensure information is shared in a timely manner and supports services through complimentary protocols to aid in service delivery.
The Housing First Support Services
The Housing First Support Services (HFSS) seek to ensure people who are sleeping rough are assisted to find and maintain suitable accommodation and housing. The HFSS works closely with the Housing First System Coordinator and other services throughout the sector to ensure that appropriate accommodation and housing is sought, and the right support is in place to help people sustain their housing and not cycle back into homelessness. The HFSS includes a specialist Aboriginal service that has developed and delivers its services in line with Noongar Housing First Principles.
Regional Supportive Landlord Model
On 1 May 2023, the State Government announced the Regional Supportive Landlord Model (RSLM). The RSLM will deliver up to 100 social homes in regional locations for people sleeping rough, in line with the All Paths Lead to Home: Western Australia's 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030 (the Strategy).
As part of the State Government's homelessness reforms, $49 million is being provisioned for the program in partnership with community housing organisations, to provide 100 supportive landlord social homes for people experiencing rough sleeping in regional WA. To deliver the RSLM, $46 million is dedicated to purchasing and ensuring properties meet community living standards.
The remaining $3 million will be used to provide a subsidy to Community Housing Organisations to deliver the Regional Supportive Landlord Model for up to 100 properties across three selected locations over three years. Community Housing Organisations are invited to indicate which location(s) they have capacity to deliver in.
The intent is for community housing organisations to provide property and tenancy management for 100 social dwellings through a supportive landlord model together with intensive wrap-around support services.
The State Government via Department of Communities (Communities) will contribute up to 100 social housing properties via a combination of spot purchases, refurbishments, and new builds. These social homes will be prioritised for people who have experienced chronic homelessness or rough sleeping and are suitable for this model of support.
The RSLM was based on the long-term success of the mental health Independent Living model which assists people with severe and persistent mental health issues find and sustain housing.
The model is predicated on the pivotal role of housing providers, as landlords, in sustaining tenancies based on the final decisions around sustaining or ending a tenancy being vested with a landlord. Under this model, social outcomes are prioritised over commercial objectives, with tenants linked to individualised supports to assist with their needs.
A supportive landlord model is a natural complement to Housing First principles and services, like the Housing First Homelessness Initiative.
Call for submissions to expand the successful Supportive Landlord Model for people sleeping rough in selected regional areas.
Communities - Office of Homelessness is undertaking a Registration of Interest (ROI) process to assist with the planning of the Community Housing Organisations to support RSLM.
A Registration of Interest is now open for Community Housing Organisations to partner with the State Government in delivering more regional social housing for people sleeping rough.
Community Housing Organisations, including Aboriginal Controlled Community Housing Organisations, in the following regional areas are encouraged to register their interest:
- Albany/Denmark
- Broome
- Geraldton
- Kalgoorlie
- Port Hedland
Respondents must lodge an ROI in Electronic Form through Tenders WA by lodging it at: www.tenders.wa.gov.au. The ROI was released on Monday 27th November and closed on Wednesday 3rd January 2024.
An ROI is a short form to complete to indicate interest which will enable Communities to consider which locations to target and the potential organisations who may be interested in participating.
The boost to regional social housing builds on the success of the Djuripiny Mia Supportive Landlord Model, which assists complex tenancies and sustain long-term housing.
The model is being successfully piloted under a landmark partnership with Housing Choices WA to deliver 100 social homes across Perth, Peel and Bunbury.
