Residents living near the Fraser Suites in East Perth are calling on the Western Australia government to hold open forums to address their concerns about a plan to transform the 19-storey hotel into 236 social and affordable housing units. They argue that community engagement has been lacking and fear that the development could lead to increased noise, antisocial behavior, and parking problems.
Supporters and affected residents will gather outside the hotel on Saturday morning to voice their opposition. Four other apartment buildings within the same strata group will remain privately owned, but residents like Ben Stephenson worry that the conversion of the hotel suites for long-term living might strain shared spaces and create an unpleasant environment. “The more people you get in an area, the more it can become rowdy, which isn’t ideal for those who prefer a quieter neighborhood,” he said.
Concerns also extend to potential increases in antisocial activities, negative effects on property values, and parking shortages. Residents feel they were not adequately consulted before the government purchased the building for 105 million dollars. The government justifies the move by emphasizing the need to increase social housing in East Perth, which currently has only 3.2 percent of its housing stock designated for that purpose, compared to 11 percent in nearby Highgate.
As of late May, the social housing waitlist stood at more than 22,000 applications, with many individuals and families desperately in need of accommodation, including over 7,000 classified as urgent cases. The community’s opposition highlights the ongoing debate over balancing social housing needs with neighborhood concerns in Perth’s CBD.
+ There are no comments
Add yours