WA government buys hotel to house the homeless

A former Perth hotel will be used as accommodation for rough sleepers.

The WA Department of Communities acquired a former hotel in the Perth CBD which it convert to house rough sleepers.

The accommodation will be run by a community housing operator.

The former Murray Hotel was purchased for $5.15 million, with renders now open for a community housing organisation to provide supported accommodation services including case management and support, along with existing Housing First Service Providers.

30 rooms will be available primarily for singles, but also up to three couples.

“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,” housing minister John Carey said in a statement.

“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.”

The $34.5 million Housing First initiative is part of WA’s homelessness strategy 2020-30 which seeks to end chronic homelessness.

WA is becoming known for its support of rough sleepers having previously awarded $16.2 million to the Noongar Mia Mia consortium, Ruah Community Services and Anglicare WA to provide accommodation in metropolitan Perth and Bunbury.

The 100-bed Boorloo Bidee Mia facility in Perth operates at 92 per cent occupancy.

It is built to support rough sleepers and transition them into stable, long-term accommodation.

Jonathan Jackson - 24-1-23