Investing in Housing
The 2023-24 Budget delivers a $750 million boost for housing supply and housing choice initiatives, with a particular focus on supporting those most in need.
This includes significant additional funding for social housing and homelessness initiatives, increasing the capacity of the residential construction workforce to deliver homes, and initiatives to encourage urban infill and regional land supply.
At a glance: social housing and homelessness
- $511 million boost for social housing and homelessness in this Budget, increasing total investment to $2.6 billion over the next four years.
- This includes a $450 million increase in funding to the Social Housing Investment Fund, which increases the total number of social houses to be added to 4,000, with 1,200 already delivered.
- As part of this investment, $49 million has been provisioned for a pilot 100-home Regional Supportive Landlord Model, building on a pilot program roll out in the Perth and Peel region.
- Funding for the Office of Homelessness to support the delivery of the State’s first 10-year homelessness strategy.
At a glance: expanding construction sector workforce
- $48 million in training initiatives to expand the residential construction workforce, which will accelerate construction of the current pipeline of homes and expand capacity to deliver new housing supply to keep pace with our growing population.
- This comprises:
- Boosting the Base Employer Grant from $10,000 to $12,000 for apprentices.
- Expanding the Group Training Wages subsidy to include residential and commercial construction sector apprentices.
- A $2,000 training completion payment for apprentices.
- Expediting approvals of occupational licensing.
- Targeted $11 million visa subsidy scheme to attract more skilled migrants to the industry.
At a glance: boosting housing supply and choice
- $33 million committed to extend the off-the-plan transfer duty rebate, and lift the exemption threshold to $650,000 for a 100 per cent duty concession, tapering to a 50 per cent concession from $750,000.
- $48 million to facilitate remediation of the Bentley Residential Redevelopment project site that will provide a mixture of social and affordable housing.
- $61.6 million in additional funding for Government Regional Officer Housing to refurbish existing homes and add new supply, plus a further freeze on GROH rents to incentivise key public sector workers to work in regional WA.
- $55 million for upgrades to water infrastructure to unlock housing development in strategic sites across Perth.
- $12 million increase to the Regional Development Assistance Program to boost housing and land supply in regional WA.