New meanwhile use project gives homeless older women in south-western Sydney a safe place to stay

An empty aged care property has been transformed thanks to a Homelessness Innovation Fund grant, leveraging meanwhile use arrangements to offer transitional accommodation and wrap around supports in a property that would otherwise be vacant.

The $446,450 Homelessness Innovation Fund grant enables Glenfield House to support homeless older women for at least two years.

The 28 apartments are semi-self-contained, with shared bathroom, kitchen and living areas that provide a haven while older women are supported to overcome challenges and secure safe and affordable housing options on exit from the program.

Last year the NSW Government streamlined planning controls to make it easier for those supplying temporary or crisis accommodation to make use of empty buildings.

These changes followed the NSW Government’s historic $6.6 billion investment in social housing and homelessness to deliver more homes and fund specialist homelessness solutions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

So far, the Homelessness Innovation Fund has backed seventy projects sharing in $26.9 million in grants to support creative, community-led ideas that deliver practical help to people doing it tough.

About the Homelessness Innovation Fund:

• 70 projects funded across NSW so far with round 3 initiatives announced today
• More than 800 new rooms created for people at risk of homelessness
• 48 projects improving how housing and support services are rolled out
• 22 projects changing how crisis accommodation is provided
• Planning is underway for the next round of funding

Together with trusted partners we’re delivering faster more stable supports which set people on a path to ensure experiences of homelessness are rare, brief and not repeated.

Quotes attributable to Homes NSW CEO Rebecca Pinkstone:

“I’m thrilled to see this incredible collaboration bring Glenfield House to life, which ensures a disused property can be transformed into a place that will help hundreds of women over the next couple of years.”

“We can’t do this without strong partnerships, and I want to thank Women’s Community Shelters, Hume Housing and Whiddon Aged Care for making this possible.”

“The apartments are beautiful, they are safe, they are welcoming and the wrap around supports on offer as part of this program will ensure older women can secure housing long-term.”

Quotes attributable to Annabelle Daniel OAM CEO Women’s Community Shelters:

“Women’s Community Shelters creates new safe havens for women and children escaping violence and homelessness by establishing new shelters with communities and creating safe and supported housing like this ‘meanwhile use’ property for older women.”

“Older women, many of whom have spent their lives caring for others, are the fastest-growing group of homeless people in Australia by percentage.  Thousands of older women are sleeping in cars, couch-surfing, or living in unsafe conditions every night due to domestic violence, job insecurity, and a chronic, systemic lack of available affordable housing across the country.”

“Glenfield House will accommodate 28 women over 55 at risk of homelessness every night. This is a significant, milestone step for Women’s Community Shelters, bringing the total safe beds we provide for older women to 100 beds per night.”