Mandurah Common Ground is planned as permanent supportive housing, not a crisis shelter. The six-storey development at 35 Gray Road is designed to provide 50 self-contained apartments with shared spaces and on-site support, and the WA Department of Housing and Works expects tenants to move in during late 2026. Housing Minister John Carey’s reassurance that it would not become a “ghetto” was reported in October 2024; it is a statement of expectation, not evidence of future safety or property-value outcomes.
What is Mandurah Common Ground?
Common Ground is a model of permanent supportive housing for adults experiencing ongoing homelessness, rough sleeping and/or low income. Unlike crisis accommodation or temporary housing, tenants are intended to have a permanent home for as long as they need it, with the option to age in place. The WA Department of Housing and Works describes the Mandurah development as a six-storey building at 35 Gray Road with 50 self-contained apartments, communal areas, commercial space and on-site support. The Department’s project page, last updated 28 April 2026, gives the current project specifications.
Who is it for, and what support is planned?
The apartments are intended for adults who need stable housing, with support available to help tenants maintain their tenancies and access other services. Planned supports include case management and access to employment, workforce training, education, health and wellbeing services. The Department says the design includes accessible features and is culturally responsive to local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The project separates housing operations from tenant support: a Community Housing Organisation is to manage the property and tenancies, while a Community Service Provider is to deliver support. In its April 2026 update, the Department said the tender process to select both providers was underway; it had not yet named either organisation.
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When is it expected to open?
Construction was reported to have commenced in late 2024. The Department’s project page expects the development to open to tenants in late 2026. That is a forecast, not confirmation that the building is already open or that a move-in date has been fixed.
Project descriptions have changed over time. The State’s October 2024 announcement described a five-storey development and a $43.1 million construction contract; the Department’s later project page describes a six-storey building. For the current design description, the Department’s newer specification is the relevant one. The earlier storey count and contract figure belong to the 2024 announcement, not a current cost update. The October 2024 announcement also set out the then-current contract details.
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What did the Housing Minister say about a “ghetto”?
In a report published on 21 October 2024, PerthNow’s Rachel Fenner said Carey responded to community concerns about antisocial behaviour and the word “ghetto,” used by local campaigners. The report quoted him saying the project was co-designed with homelessness providers and that services should be integrated across communities rather than isolated from them. He was quoted: “We need these services where these concerns are … if we are to seriously address homelessness and provide housing for people in need we need to integrate it across communities.” The report also attributed to Carey the reassurance that the project would not become a “ghetto.” Read PerthNow’s report.
That remark expresses the Minister’s position; it does not establish what the neighbourhood will be like after opening. The reviewed sources do not provide independent evidence of Mandurah Common Ground’s future safety, antisocial-behaviour or property-value effects. Concerns reported in the article should therefore be understood as concerns, not as demonstrated impacts.
What is known about safety and on-site management?
The Department’s project FAQ says lessons from other Australian Common Ground projects inform plans for a 24/7 front desk and support arrangements. It characterises serious incidents at Australian Common Grounds as rare. That is the Department’s account of the model, not an independent evaluation of the Mandurah site or a guarantee of a particular local outcome. The project’s eventual service arrangements will depend on the providers selected.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why was this location chosen?
A 2021 State announcement said the Allnutt Street site was selected in part because it is close to public transport and services. It also presented commercial and social-enterprise space as part of the plan to integrate the development with the surrounding community. The 2021 announcement describes that original location rationale.
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