Rio Tinto, Woodside offer unused company homes to City of Karratha to ease affordable rental shortage

Woodside and Rio Tinto will offload a handful of unused company houses to the City of Karratha in the hopes of addressing the town’s shortage of affordable rentals. The two-year agreement will see 25 properties given to the City to be rented out as service worker accommodation this year, with the potential for up to 30 more to be added in 2022. Houses will be leased at affordable rents to people and organisations working in not-for-profit, non-government and essential services sectors in the Karratha community. A City of Karratha expression of interest form sent out on Wednesday details eligibility requirements such as being a residential, non-resources sector worker; not earning more than $90,000 per year; and not owning a house in town. A City of Karratha spokesperson said Karratha was currently experiencing a lack of affordable housing, with local resource projects and activity increasing in the region. “With low housing availability, residents are facing increased rental costs well beyond the median Perth rental price,” they said. “For lower income earners and local businesses, the lack of affordable housing creates a significant barrier to living and working within the City of Karratha. “While not traditionally a role of local government, Council is determined to do what it can to ensure our community has access to affordable housing.” Types of accommodation to be made available include 2x2 units and three and four-bed houses for family, standard and share-house arrangements. The City spokesperson said the City had been working closely with Rio Tinto and Woodside to identify properties which could be used in an accommodation pool to provide service workers affordable housing. Woodside global property, strategy and planning manager Peter Balfe said service workers were vital to maintaining essential services and supporting local businesses. Rio Tinto Iron Ore port, rail and core services managing director Richard Cohen said Rio had offered 35 properties to the City. "Karratha is a wonderful place to live and service workers play an important role in maintaining its vibrancy and sustainability,” he said. The City plans to have the first properties occupied by the end of the year. Under the EOI, rents equal to or exceeding 25 per cent of a household’s income will be deemed unaffordable, as will rents above the Perth median market rent. Allocations will be prioritised by income, employment type, consequence to the community if a person or organisation is not granted a home, and alternative options available. Karratha’s other service worker accommodation includes the State-funded Warambie Estate and Quarter Apartments. Ray White managing director Richard Naulls said the agency would get five or six applications each time a studio apartment at the Quarter became available. “Everyone wants affordable housing in Karratha because obviously the prices are going up and there’s always inquiries,” he said. “I think these houses provided by Rio Tinto and Woodside is a fantastic idea and I hope it benefits people, it’s a small step in trying to fix a bigger picture.”