Advocacy - Homelessness Support and Accommodation Services

Renamed the Joondalup Wanneroo Ending Homelessness Group (JWEHG) in 2018, the City helped establish the Joondalup Wanneroo Homelessness Action Group in 2011. The JWEHG comprises of government, community members with lived experience of homelessness, not-for-profit, corporate, faith-based organisations and people working in the homelessness sector, in and around the Joondalup and Wanneroo region. In partnership with the City of Joondalup, the City  partners with the City of Joondalup, leas a Regional Homelessness Plan focusing on building capacity, understanding and engagement; prevention and early intervention; and responding to homelessness. This approach aligns with the WA State Strategy to End Homelessness 2018-2028, which provides a framework to end homelessness1.

The WA Government’s 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness ‘All Paths Lead to a Home’, is underpinned by a ‘no wrong door’ viewpoint, whole-of-community approach, and place-based responses. Priority actions include supporting measures that ensure people sleeping rough have immediate access to shelter and are connected to appropriate supports. Currently, this is not happening in a timely, consistent or optimal way within the City due to a lack of accessible local services and homelessness accommodation located locally.

There is an identified need for secure funding for short to medium term homelessness accommodation with wrap-around support services, and an ongoing assertive outreach service. While assertive outreach is currently operating in the City, there is no guarantee of continuation beyond mid-2026.

The City is a fast-growing local government with around 4,330 new residents annually2. The population for the City is expected to increase by 201,022 persons (85% growth) between 2024 and 2046, at an average annual change of 2.84%3. This growth places pressure on housing availability and the provision of affordable housing stock. More households in the City are paying a mortgage (54% compared to 40% across WA) and of these 14.4% are under housing stress with mortgage repayments greater than 30% of household income4. The City has a lower than average personal median income for individuals and families5.

High levels of rental stress are evident in the City; about 10% of families are low income or welfare dependent and nearly 15% of households receive rent assistance6. Around 33.2% of renter households in the City have rental payments greater than 30% of household income compared to 28.3% across WA7. The City has households experiencing housing stress with rental cost increasing by 35% from 2019 to 20228. The suburbs of Butler and Girrawheen have the 5th and 7th highest rental stress in the Perth metropolitan area9. In 2024, the percentage of affordable and appropriate properties for a couple both on minimum wage with two children and receiving family tax benefits A has dropped to 6.4% from 26.7% in 202310.

The City has few unoccupied private dwellings (6%) compared to the WA average (10.9%) as well as significantly lower levels of housing diversity11. Higher house prices and rising inflation will add to the existing high levels of mortgage and rental stress in the City. The demand for homelessness services in the City is highly likely to grow in the near future due to this combination of population growth and the cost-of-living and housing crises.

Community service providers are reporting challenges in finding accommodation and accessing wrap-around support services for clients with many at maximum capacity and not taking referrals. Providers have reported that many clients are reluctant to engage with CBD-based services due to distance and accessibility issues.

While two assertive outreach services are currently provided in the City, there is no guarantee of continuation beyond June 2026. The Wanneroo Engagement and Assessment Team (WEAT) commenced services in August 2023 and is operated by The Salvation Army through philanthropic funding ending in July 2026. The WEAT assertive outreach team is working to capacity and has supported 73 clients with 256 from August 2023 until 31 January 202412. In February 2023, the Homeless Engagement Assessment Response Team (HEART), delivered by Uniting WA, commenced services in the City; this service is contracted until 30 September 2025.

Ebenezer Aboriginal Corporation runs two accommodations; one medium-term for single males 18 to 25 years and one crisis for single females aged 15 to 25 years in the City. Youth Futures is building a 6-bedroom short-term crisis accommodation service in Merriwa for young people aged 15 to 19 years who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Uniting WA received approval in June 2024 to develop a 10-person community housing facility in Girrawheen designed to support people transition out of homelessness or full-time care13. Within the City, there is no crisis, short-term or transitional, or medium-term homelessness accommodation services that cater for people not in these age brackets.

There is an opportunity to transform the support offered to people experiencing homelessness in the City to better align with the housing first and place-based response priorities outlined in the WA Government’s homelessness strategy. City-based homelessness support services, accommodation and ongoing assertive outreach would enable people to remain connected to their local support network.

The services required would benefit residents of all ages in the region of the Cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup. The need for these services is growing and continuation of the assertive outreach services with secure State and/or Federal Government funding is imperative to support people experiencing homelessness in the City.

 

Infographic 1: Map of accommodation services & WEAT engagement hubs in the City

Role

The role of the City is to:

• Advocate for the asks in partnership with others
• Provide localised data and other relevant information
• Act as a connector to local organisations and stakeholders

The State Government’s role is to:

• Provide land
• Fund and maintain a suitable facility
• Fund operations
• Appoint provider(s) to deliver required services

Primary Advocates:

• City of Wanneroo

Secondary Advocates:

• City of Joondalup
• WA Department of Communities Joondalup District
• Patricia Giles Centre for Non-Violence
• Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS)
• Joondalup Wanneroo Ending Homelessness Group (JWEHG)

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