WA’s first ‘Common Ground’ communal housing facility for homeless to be built in East Perth

An empty hostel in the Perth CBD could be providing transitional accommodation support to 50 rough sleepers within weeks.

The interim measure for addressing the homelessness crisis in WA would help bridge the years until the completion of the first of two $35 million multi-storey facilities which forms a major part of the State’s new housing strategy.

Community Services Minister Simone McGurk has revealed the corner of Hill Street and Wellington Street in East Perth as the location of a “Common Ground” tower which will contain 70 self-contained apartments and start construction in 2021-22.

She said the self-contained apartments would be there to deal with the State’s most vulnerable people as it will provide immediate housing and wrap-around services to help people out of homelessness.

The complex includes self-contained apartments, communal areas and office spaces — paired with an intensive case-management support program.

University of WA homelessness expert Paul Flatau said the Common Ground model used in Brisbane had led to annual savings of $13,000 per tenant when it came to government spending on homelessness.

“It’s a model that is based on four main elements, it’s based on the fact you have good tenancy management, you have social supports and health supports and the fact it is close to the Royal Perth Hospital I think is very important,” he said.

“And also that it has a concierge capability and it provides employment as well.”

A further $6.8m in funding was announced today which will support people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

Perth MP John Carey said $1.34m of the new allocation would go towards funding a 50-bed temporary support facility which would be run in conjunction with Uniting WA, Ruah and Noongar Mia Mia.

“Assertive outreach will go out into the city… they’ll identify people, bring them back to temporary accommodation where they can stay at night,” he said.

“The idea is then getting them in and referring them to support services

“That should start in the next two weeks and will go for a year.”

An unused inner-city hostel, not yet identified publically, would be used for the service which would see support workers help tenant to find long-term housing options.

Uniting WA chief executive Amanda Hunt said the initiative addressed some of the growing need for immediate accommodation in the city.

“As more affordable housing becomes available, we’ll be able to support more people to move from sleeping rough to having safe and secure homes,” she said.

There are about 300 people estimated to be sleeping rough in the Perth CBD.