Our Goals
PHOAWA was formed to maximise the security and living standards of all homeowners in
manufactured home VILLAGES (i.e. 'Over 50s', ‘Leisure’, ‘Lifestyle’ villages etc) and in
PARK HOME parks (i.e. accommodating permanent homes & caravans as well as short term tourist facilities.)
There has been ambiguity about the rights and responsibilities of both residents and the operators of these communities. PHOAWA has worked to change what was a precarious position for some home-owners. These residents are not protected by the Residential Tenancies Act. And only parks meeting strict government criteria for Retirement Villages are protected by the Retirement Villages Act 1992 (WA).
PHOAWA played a crucial role instigating the Residential Parks (Long-Stay Tenants) Act 2006 - the Parks Act – and the revised Parks Act of January 2022. This Act specifically protects park and village (Not Retirement Village) homeowners. Being new legislation, the Parks Act will be reviewed periodically. PHOAWA remains the peak body representing the interests of park homeowners to government and industry and lobbying for changes to the Parks Act where necessary.
PARK HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION of WA aims:
1) To ensure that homeowners’ rights are protected by law for those whose home is on leased land.
2) To follow up the regular Reviews of the Parks Act and to ensure that the law keeps up with industry developments.
3) To maintain PHOAWA as the peak body representing park/village homeowners to government and to all Park Operators and industry stakeholders.
4) To work with government and industry stakeholders to further improve affordable housing in the coming years.
5) To lobby relevant authorities and stakeholders in the general interests of all permanent residents in parks/villages and to promote the Park/Village concept positively in the wider community.
6) To foster a constructive relationship between PHOAWA members, the owners of their park or village and their local park/village managers.
7) To work towards the maintenance of reasonable rents for all permanent residents in parks/villages and to maintain equitable pricing of public utilities for permanent residents in parks/villages.
8) To provide a communication hub and information resources for all park/village homeowners in WA.
9) To maintain and expand the PHOAWA membership base and the knowledge base among our members to ensure that PHOAWA can lobby on issues as they arise.
A brief history - WHY & HOW we started:
PHOAWA grew out of a small residential committee headed by Kevin Fahey in 1997. Permanent homeowners in Woodman Point Caravan Park believed they were being treated unfairly and without respect by the then management. The committee aimed to bring good outcomes for the whole community through better balance of power and responsibility between management and residents. Management recognised the advantage of dealing with a constructive representative body.
Around Australia legislation was being written to protect the growing number of land-lease homeowners. The large demographic group of post-World War II Baby Boomers were seeking retirement homes. Many in residential caravan parks were experiencing issues ranging from total disregard to the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act (under which the industry operated then) to blatant management bullying. Problems peaked when landowners found they could obtain better returns on their land by developing it rather than maintaining it as a park. Homeowners who had bought in good faith at considerable cost found themselves homeless with nowhere for their homes to go. PHOAWA over the years has fought hard to bring homeowner conditions and rights in line with what one could expect in the suburbs.
The Park Home Owners Association (WA) was incorporated in 1998 and began lobbying State Government for legislative recognition. This brought about our own targeted legislation, the Residential Parks (Long-Stay Tenants) Act 2006. The 2006 Act helped but proved largely ineffectual in balancing power between homeowners and park operators. PHOAWA continued lobbying and was involved in the 2012 Review of the Act. An amended and we believe fairer Bill came into force in January 2022.
Most importantly, homeowners now have greater Security of Tenure. Homes can only be removed for a series of legislated reasons and even then, residents have recourse to the State Administrative Tribunal. Other changes include better rules concerning Rent, Selling Property, and standardised leases. The prime reason for PHOAWA’s existence has been legislative change and our constitution does not allow the Board to get involved in individual park disputes. Over the years PHOAWA has achieved a great deal. It is hard to estimate the countless hours and personal cost to hundreds of volunteers in the establishment and running of PHOAWA, which continues today.