Social and Affordable Housing

Anglicare WA welcomes the recent announcement that the State Government has invested $105 million in purchasing the Fraser Suites serviced apartment complex to transform it into social and affordable housing.

The short-stay serviced apartments located in East Perth will be converted into 236 long-term social and affordable apartments and will be managed by a Community Housing Provider to address the needs of low to moderate-income households in housing stress.

This much-needed boost in social and affordable housing is the right step in addressing Western Australia’s housing crisis.  But what exactly is social and affordable housing?  And why are they an important solution to the crisis gripping our market-based housing system?

The terms social and affordable housing are often used together (and interchangeably), but they are distinct forms of housing that serve different purposes and target different groups.

Social Housing

Social housing is subsidised rental housing provided to people on very low incomes, and those facing housing insecurity due to age, disability, family violence or other vulnerabilities and complex needs.  There are two types of social housing:

• Public housing, which is owned and managed by state and territory governments.  For example, the Department of Communities owns and maintains thousands of public housing properties across Western Australia. 
• Community housing, which is managed (and often owned) by not-for-profit organisations known as Community Housing Providers (CHPs) or Community Housing Organisations (CHOs), often in partnership with state or territory governments.

Rents for social housing are typically set at 25-30% of a household’s income, and eligibility is needs-based.

Social housing is critical to providing long-term, stable housing for people who might otherwise be at risk of homelessness.  It also helps reduce reliance on emergency services, healthcare, and the justice system, and offers a foundation for people to rebuild their lives, access education, and find employment.

There is high demand for social housing in WA, with 22,066 applications on the social housing waitlist (as of 30 April 2025) with an average wait time of 151 weeks.  Yet social housing only makes up about 3.7% of all housing stock in WA, below the national average of 4.1%.  And Australia trails well behind other nations such as the UK (17%) and the Netherlands (34%).

That is why Anglicare WA is calling on government to increase social housing to 6% of all housing stock so that people can access secure stable housing and live a good life.

Affordable Housing

In Western Australia, affordable housing refers to rental or ownership options that are priced to suit low to moderate-income households so they can live securely without sacrificing essentials like food, transport, or healthcare. 

This means it is designed for people who do not qualify for social housing but still struggle with private market prices, such as key workers (e.g., childcare workers, aged care workers, hospitality workers), young families, or older Australians on a fixed income.

Affordable housing is provided by CHOs, private developers (often with government incentives), and local or state governments.

Rent is capped at no more than 30% of household income, or 75% of market rent, depending on the provider.  Eligibility is based on income, residency, and asset criteria, with some providers prioritising key workers while others focus on those at risk of homelessness or with disability or health needs. 

Affordable housing is a crucial part of the State Government’s broader housing strategy, bridging the gap between social housing and the private market.

But affordable housing is more than just a roof over someone’s head.  It is a foundation for good health outcomes, economic mobility, stronger communities, and equity and inclusion—components that lead to a good life. 

That is why Anglicare WA is calling on government to establish a WA Housing Future Fund to provide a long-term funding pipeline for new social and affordable housing.

Comments attributed to Philippa Boldy, Anglicare WA acting CEO:

“We really welcome this move from the state government. It's a bold move, and one that we really need to see as we address housing affordability issues in Western Australia and housing supply issues. We think accessible housing should be a feature of every Western Australian community.

“We are the neighbour across the road, and we welcome this move. We're really looking forward to seeing a greater supply of affordable and social housing in this district. We know that demand for social affordable housing at the moment is enormous, and this is a real move in the right direction.

“Our view is that social affordable housing should be at every Western Australian community.”

To see a video about the announcement, please click here.

To learn more about our housing advocacy priorities, please click  here.