Department of Communities Transitional Housing Program

The Transitional Housing Program provides participants with a stable, affordable home, along with access to tailored support services.

Last updated: 6 July 2023

If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person living in north Western Australia and aspire to own your own home or live in a private rental, then the Transitional Housing Program could be for you.

Whether you are single or have a family, all are welcome to apply for Transitional Housing.
The Transitional Housing Program will help you take a significant step towards realising your goals, which may include:

clearing your debt and increasing your savings
achieving a healthy lifestyle for you and your family
furthering your employment and training opportunities
owning your own home or moving into private rental.

The Transitional Housing Program is a Department of Communities initiative. The Hedland and East Kimberley Transitional Housing is supported by the North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund and Royalties for Regions.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this web page may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.

The Transitional Housing Program will provide you with an affordable rental property, along with access to a range of services that focus on employment, education, financial independence, household management and wellbeing.

We will work together to agree your length of stay, and make sure that you leave with the all the skills needed to achieve your goals and aspirations and move into your own home or private rental.

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Transitional Housing Program

East Kimberley Development Package Transitional Housing Program

Transitional Housing program is currently offered in the following locations:

Kununurra
Halls Creek
Wyndham
Broome
Derby
South Hedland – operating as the Hedland Aboriginal Home Ownership Program

To be eligible for the program, you need to:

have a minimum of one adult applicant of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent
have a commitment to the region, such as local employment or family connection
not own property or land
aspire to move towards home ownership or private rental
ensure school-aged children in the household attend school regularly
be employed, in paid training or seeking employment or paid training
commit to working with service providers to achieve goals and aspirations.

If you meet the above criteria and are found suitable, you will be able to join the program. Those who move into the Transitional Housing home with you, including your children, will also be able to participate in the program.

In September 2012, the Department of Communities (formerly Housing Authority) launched the Transitional Housing Program in Kununurra with an initial 40 transitional houses. Widely acclaimed, it won the 2013 Premier’s Award for the Improving Aboriginal Outcomes category.

Building on the success in Kununurra, the program was expanded with another 15 houses in Halls Creek and then into the West Kimberley; with 40 houses in Broome and 20 in Derby.

An additional 50 Transitional Housing homes, co-designed with local Aboriginal organisations and supported by the North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund were constructed across the East Kimberley, with 30 properties built in Kununurra, 14 in Halls Creek and six in Wyndham completed in mid-2021.

In June 2018, the Minister for Housing, Hon Peter Tinley MLA, announced the expansion of the program into the Pilbara.

The Pilbara expansion project, which is also funded by the North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund, will see a total of 40 government homes in South Hedland repurposed as Transitional Housing.

The Transitional Housing Program was the winner of the Leading Community Engagement Practice award at the 2017 Australasian Housing Institute's (AHI) WA Professional Excellence in Housing Awards. The awards recognise the housing professionals who have made a significant and lasting difference to tenants, clients, the community, and their profession.

Home ownership has become a reality for Sarah, due to her strong determination to build a new home for her family, with the support of the Transitional Housing Program.

Having grown up in Perth, Sarah moved to Broome about ten years ago and it was there she met her partner Sam and decided to stay.

“I am a proud Noongar woman from Perth and my partner is a Yawuru and Karrajarri man born and raised in Broome.

I work at the Department of Human Services and Sam is an electrician.

The program wasn’t my first opportunity to rent, but it was my first opportunity to rent and live solely with my partner Sam.

Although I am generally confident with money management, it was an opportunity to have support while striving to achieve our shared goal of purchasing our first home together.

Towards the end of the program the Department also assisted us with transitioning into our new home, financial counselling and with moral support.

Every part that the program played in helping us achieve this goal has also played a part in changing our life.”

In two years, Sarah was able to save and build a new house with Sam, while also working and completing a Diploma in Leadership in Management during her pregnancy and after the birth of her daughter, Sofia.

Reaching their goal in just over a year, Sarah and Sam started building their house in June 2017 and then moved out of the Transitional Housing program, and into their brand new home in February 2018, when all the work was complete.