Completion of Denmark housing co-operative

11/2/94

Housing Minister Kevin Prince said today that the State Government was committed to giving people on low incomes more say about the houses in which they lived.

Attending a 'day of celebration' to mark the completion of Mia Mia - a six-unit housing co-operative in Denmark - Mr Prince said housing co-operatives, owned in trust and managed by residents, could become a greater trend in future.

"Developments such as this allow people to express their own ideas through their housing," Mr Prince said.

"Housing co-operatives are to be applauded because they are non-profit, member-managed housing associations which provide low-income earners with the opportunity to achieve secure, affordable housing.

"They provide rental housing which has been designed, purchased and managed by members."

Mia Mia - only the second co-operative housing development to be built outside Perth - cost $673,000 and comprised two two-bedroom, two three-bedroom and two four-bedroom houses on a 7,000 square metre site.

The other eight co-operative housing ventures are situated in Bunbury, Fremantle (2), Belmont, Bayswater, Midvale, Yokine and Leederville.

One of the main criteria for co-operative housing is that 75 per cent of members must be on incomes low enough to qualify for public housing.

"Tenant participation and tenant control are the keys to co-operative housing, enabling people to make decisions and take responsibility for their homes," Mr Prince said.

Money for the project came from the Commonwealth's community housing program and was administered by Homeswest.

Members of the Mia Mia group helped local architectural firm Denmark Architecture to design the homes to blend with the environment.  Although the homes are close together, each has maximum privacy.

Natural materials which included stabilised earth bricks, timber and iron were used in the construction, to remain in keeping with the theme.

Media contact:  Ross Storey 222 9595 / 325 4133