Homeswest House Sits Empty For A Year

Wednesday 24 Aug 2011

 

A Homeswest home which could have accommodated up to six people had been left sitting empty for a year.

The house - at 136 Victoria Street, Mosman Park – had remained unoccupied while the number of West Australians waiting for a home exceeds 53,000. The latest parliamentary figures show the number of people waiting 53,050. 

Figures released in parliament show that in excess of 450 houses are sitting empty at this point, not including properties such as this one.

The home has been empty for so long that even neighbours have been expressing concerns that it is empty while so many people are homeless. 

It is not an excuse that the house is up for sale or being prepared for sale.  Many homes are rented while they are up for sale and tenants are simply placed on a periodic tenancy. They could be moved into another property once this one is sold. 

The empty house also brings into focus the fact that the median wait time for people awaiting public housing is now nearly two years, whilst in the Kimberley it is nearly three years. 

Even this figure under represents what many needy applicants go through when they are advised the wait-time is in excess of six years. 

It is time Mr Buswell got in his car and did a drive-around some of the unoccupied Homeswest properties and asked why they are empty. 

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