Housing Minister John Carey has announced 15 vacant Government Regional Officer Housing (GROH) dwellings in Derby will be transferred for use as public housing and to provide accommodation support to the broader Derby community.
As part of a reform agenda for the delivery of housing, the Minister requested the Department of Communities undertake a review of all long-term vacant GROH properties to ensure Government housing stock is being fully utilised.
The review identified 15 properties that were currently surplus to needs as GROH properties.
Two of the properties will be provided to house families from the priority public housing waitlist, 10 properties will be provided to the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley to provide accommodation to critical workers and three properties will house staff from local service providers like Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation and Garl Garl Walbu Drug and Alcohol Support.
Garl Garl Walbu operate a non-residential drug and alcohol dependence treatment service in Derby and the Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation provides Aboriginal business development, employment and training initiatives, and subsidised medical and health services.
Having local government or non-government organisations as the lessees of some of the properties will enable the dwellings to most efficiently be used, with flexibility for them to be future transfers to public housing or returned to GROH stock as required.
As stated by Housing Minister John Carey:
“I have been very clear that with such high demand for housing at the moment, I do not want to see any stock going unused.
“That is why the Department has been undertaking a thorough review of long-term vacant properties, and it’s fantastic to see that out of that review, 15 properties in Derby will be put to good use.
“These properties will provide housing to people on Derby’s public housing waitlist, assist the Shire of Derby-West Kimberley house critical workers and support the important work of local support services.
“We are investing $2.1 billion towards social housing in the coming four years, and an additional $200 million on GROH, but ensuring we fully maximise the use of our current stock is critical in the current environment.”
As stated by Kimberley MLA Divina D’Anna:
“Housing is a critical issue in Derby, so it’s fantastic to see 15 homes that were previously vacant and currently surplus to Government requirements will be made available to boost housing availability.
“I know that housing is an important foundation for social and economic determinants of physical health as well as emotional and social wellbeing.
“I have spoken with the Minister about the need to boost housing availability and this review is delivering important outcomes by ensuring we are fully utilising all housing.”
