Homeless reforms help deliver former hotel for rough sleepers

• McGowan Government acquires property in Murray Street for supported homelessness accommodation services
• Tender now open for Community Housing Organisation to provide supported property and tenancy services
• New service to provide 30 rooms to support people sleeping rough
• Part of McGowan Government's $2.4 billion investment in social housing and homelessness measures
  

Homelessness Minister John Carey has announced a former hotel on Murray Street, West Perth has been acquired by the McGowan Government and will be transformed into supported accommodation for people sleeping rough in the Perth CBD.

The building at 718 Murray Street, West Perth, operating until recently as the Murray Hotel, has been purchased for $5.15 million and will be leased to a community housing organisation to provide supported accommodation services to aid some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

The new service will provide 30 rooms for rough sleepers and will mainly accommodate singles, and up to two to three couples, as part of a Housing First supported accommodation model.

This acquisition of the Murray Street site is another major boost to the McGowan Government's homelessness reforms and supports the $24.2 million package, which included $20.7 million to provide 100 homes for rough sleepers that was announced late last year.

The Department of Communities has today opened the tender process to appoint a community housing organisation to provide supported accommodation services at the site. The preferred proponent will also work with existing Housing First Service Providers to provide individualised case management and support.

The tender process opens today, Thursday 12 January, and more information is available from the Tenders WA website at www.tenders.wa.gov.au.

This new facility will complement current accommodation options in the Perth CBD for people who are sleeping rough, including Boorloo Bidee Mia in Wellington Street and Koort Boodja in Northbridge.

More than a year since its launch, Boorloo Bidee Mia, as of December 2022, is operating at 92 per cent occupancy and is providing intensive wrap-around supports to some of Perth's most vulnerable rough sleepers as they transition out of homelessness into stable, long-term accommodation.

The significant investment is in-line with All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia's 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030, and reconfirms the McGowan Government's commitment to reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness.

The State Government in December also announced it would establish the $2.2 million Country Connect service, which aims to reduce instances of rough sleeping during medical treatment for people travelling to Perth from the regions.

Comments attributed to Homelessness Minister John Carey:

"This Government has a clear focus to assist people sleeping rough and give them access to appropriate accommodation and intensive wrap-around supports to enable them to transition into long-term housing options.

"Our Government is focused on delivering a Housing First approach that is evidence-based and provides tangible long-term outcomes.

"As a Housing First supported accommodation service, this accommodation option will provide intensive wrap-around supports to help people who are sleeping rough access appropriate, longer-term housing.

"This is another major step forward in services for people experiencing homelessness in the Perth CBD and is all part of this Government's $2.4 billion investment over four years to improve the quality and accessibility of social housing and homelessness measures across the State.

"We're now calling on community housing organisations, through a Request for Tender, to provide supported accommodation services and I encourage those in the sector to apply through Tenders WA."

Minister's office - 6552 5300