Property owners urged to consider tenancy options

Owners of empty homes and short stay properties located within the Margaret River Region are being urged to consider making their homes available as rentals for local residents and workers.

The Shire of Augusta Margaret River President Ian Earl said some people were continuing to find it difficult to secure appropriate accommodation and it was important for the Shire to provide support where possible.

“Even though the peak period of summer has passed it is still very competitive to secure suitable affordable housing for many people,” he said.

“I ask property owners to consider if they have capacity to take in longer term tenants for the health of our whole community.”

Cr Earl said that with the longer new home build times currently being experienced, he anticipated it would take time for more rental housing to come to market.  

“The Shire is adopting a more flexible approach to current planning regulations to make it easier for short stay property owners to adapt how they use their properties to meet this demand,” he said.

“We all need each other to function cohesively as a community, for social connectiveness and to support each other through challenging times.”

At a Special Meeting of Council on 17 March 2021, Council agreed to a range of initiatives to increase affordable housing stock in the local government area into the future.

This includes:

Adopting a flexible approach to allow current short stay property owners to provide rental accommodation to local residents for up to 6 months. Advertising a modification to Local Planning Policy 7 – Short Stay Accommodation to remove the opportunity for grouped dwellings to be approved as holiday homes within Margaret River. Undertaking a media campaign calling for owners of properties which are or can be made to be suitable for residential occupation to consider short term leases for current tenants within the Shire who may be displaced as a result of the end of the State Government’s moratorium on rent increases and evictions. That the Shire President write to new Minister for Communities and Minister for Housing to urgently prepare a crisis accommodation response for AMR residents who are experiencing difficulties accessing accommodation and consideration of resources being immediately allocated to the Department of Communities office in Margaret River.