Pictured (L-R): Emma Colombera, Executive Director, Office of Homelessness; Ann Curran, Acting CEO, St Vincent de Paul WA Society Inc (Vinnies WA; Gayle Mitchell, Manager, Office of Homelessness; Christie Smith, Executive Manager – Specialist Community Services, Vinnies WA; Sally McVicar, Manager – Housing Plus Program, Vinnies WA.
Over the past five months, the former Murray Hotel has undergone major refurbishments and compliance works, including removal of a swimming pool, and works are nearing completion. The works have been undertaken by Kardan Construction, a Supply Nation certified Aboriginal business.
The service will be housed within the former Murray Hotel at 718 Murray Street, West Perth. The 1,293 square metre inside lot was purchased by the Department of Communities (Communities) for $5.15 million in January this year.
The new service will provide 30 rooms - 25 for singles and five for couples – that feature individual ensuite bathrooms, as part of a Housing First supported accommodation model. The facility also includes an onsite kitchen, shared laundry room, and internal and external common areas.
To meet the complex needs of vulnerable people, and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff and residents, the intake of all residents will be managed through a coordination group led by Communities in partnership with the WA Alliance to End Homelessness.
The service will also be supported by existing Housing First service providers to provide case management and support to individuals.
The service will complement current accommodation options in the Perth CBD for people who are rough sleeping including Boorloo Bidee Mia in Wellington Street and Koort Boodja in Northbridge.
Boorloo Bidee Mia opened in 2021 and now operates at 92 per cent occupancy, providing intensive wrap-around supports to some of the most vulnerable community members, as they transition out of homelessness into stable, long-term accommodation.
The acquisition of the Murray Street site is another major boost to the State Government's homelessness reforms and supports the $24.2 million Supportive Landlord package, which includes $20.7 million to provide 100 homes for people sleeping rough.
The new investment is guided by the All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia's 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030 and reconfirms the State Government's commitment to reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness.
The State Government is investing a record $2.6 billion in housing and homelessness measures over four years. This includes $225 million in funding to address homelessness this financial year alone, which includes funding 130 providers to deliver critical homelessness services across WA.
Vinnies WA will now undertake its recruitment to operate the facility and work with Communities towards opening the service as soon as practicable.
For more information on the work of our Office of Homelessness click here.
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