State Government Airbnb incentive lures 17 home owners across Augusta-Margaret River and City of Busselton

A State Government initiative enticing short-stay accommodation owners to return their homes to the rental market has netted 17 applicants across the Capes region.

And, with rental availability slipping backwards another notch in the latest figures, desperate renters welcomed the extra homes.

Premier Roger Cook announced the program earlier this year offering a $10,000 inducement to get homes off short stay renting sites and back on the market for renters.

Six homes in the Augusta-Margaret River shire and 11 in the City of Busselton were transferred as a result, a State Government spokesperson told the Times.

“Our Government understands the challenges faced by private renters in the current market,” the spokesperson said.

“In response to this, we have introduced a range of programs and incentives to boost supply and affordability of rentals and housing more generally.”

The program saw 252 homes returned to the long-term rental market Statewide, the spokesperson said, with 102 homes in regional WA. The South West saw 37 homes returned overall.

The WA Government had also followed up with a program to encourage owners of vacant rentals to return them to the market as well.

The switch over comes as Airbnb continues to be the target of those concerned at the lack of housing in the Capes region.

But Vasse MLA Libby Mettam squarely thrust the focus onto the State Government.

“WA’s housing crisis has been created by the Cook Labor Government,” she said.

“Roger Cook and Anthony Albanese’s addiction to a big WA means housing supply has not kept pace with population growth.

“The Government’s Airbnb policy is a Band-Aid solution to a crisis. A paltry 17 new rentals in our region is nothing to be proud of.”

Real Estate Institute of WA president Joe White said the problem was less about short stays and more the State Government’s lack of appetite for large-scale solutions.

He has urged State and local governments to work together better to support bigger social housing enclaves.

Just Home Margaret River chair Naomi Godden marked Homelessness Week by noting the lack of direct help for residents caught up in the “perfect storm” of the regional housing crisis.

“The State Government seems perfectly happy to enjoy Margaret River’s status as one of the jewels of the west coast, while also simultaneously turning a blind eye to critical social issues, like housing insecurity, affecting its population,” Dr Godden said.

“Homelessness and housing insecurity has crushing social consequences for residents of the region, and economic consequences for local business who cannot find staff due to them having nowhere to live.”

Business operator Steve Bolesta said lack of housing was the biggest obstacle for his company Backyard Creations because recruitment efforts were constantly undermined by a lack of accommodation.