The State Government has announced that St Patrick’s Community Support Centre (St Pat’s) will take over property and tenancy management at a key Fremantle lodging house under a new five-year lease agreement with the Department of Communities.
The lodging house located at 100 Hampton Road in Fremantle provides accommodation to low-income earners and people who may otherwise be at risk of homelessness.
St Pat’s will take over management of the complex from Foundation Housing, a community housing organisation that has managed it since 2009.
As a registered community housing organisation managing 140 tenancies, St Pat’s has extensive experience in managing lodging house accommodation in the South Metropolitan Region, and is a specialist homelessness provider delivering a range of support services to vulnerable Western Australians – often in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs).
St Pat’s already has experience working at 100 Hampton Road, having managed and supported the tenancy of 20 additional occupants that have been accommodated under a sublease arrangement with Foundation Housing on the site.
The Department of Communities will work with Foundation Housing and St Pat’s to ensure a smooth transition of the management of the complex.
The Hampton Road facility was built in the 1960’s as nurses’ quarters for the Health Department and was purchased by Communities in 2008 for $15.5 million.
As well as single and double rooms, the complex provides several communal facilities, including a commercial kitchen.
As stated by Housing Minister John Carey:
“100 Hampton Road has long been a critical facility providing short term accommodation to people on low incomes in the Fremantle region. It’s fantastic to see St Pat’s taking over management of the complex.
“St Pat’s have extensive experience and managing community housing. They already provide management and tenancy support to around 20 occupants at 100 Hampton Road, so I am very confident it will be a smooth transition and will provide positive outcomes for residents moving forward.
“I would also like to thank Foundation Housing for the fantastic job they’ve done of managing the facility on the Government’s behalf for the past 14 years.”
As stated by Community Services Minister Simone McGurk:
“The McGowan Government is committed to supporting people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in our communities.
“The complex at 100 Hampton Road Fremantle has been providing a vital service to people on low incomes who might otherwise find themselves homeless and sleeping rough, and this new lease agreement ensures that the lodging house continues to support this vulnerable group with safe accommodation.
“St Pat’s has an excellent track record of providing homelessness supports in the Fremantle area, so I am thrilled that they have come on board to manage 100 Hampton Road for the next five years.”
