AUSTRALIA’S only national women’s specialist housing provider, YWCA, has started construction of an affordable housing development in Adelaide, which will prioritise women and their families impacted by domestic and family violence.
The $15.7 million project has received support from the South Australian government through a $5 million no-interest loan. Due for completion in 2025, the 24 long-term rental apartments are being built on Hutt Street for women and women-led families on low to moderate incomes for below market rent at a time of great need.
YWCA is planning to provide 30% more tenancies over the next three years across Victoria, Queensland, Northern Territory and now South Australia. This will equate to providing an extra 45,000 nights of affordable accommodation to women each year.
Nationally, YWCA provides almost 150,000 nights of affordable accommodation to women each year. Many have experienced family violence, with a lack of affordable and available housing inhibiting women’s options to leave unsafe homes.
A report by Homelessness Australia earlier this year found only 3% of the tens of thousands of women and children fleeing family and domestic violence and came to homelessness services received long-term housing assistance.
Altogether, a staggering 37,867 people missed out on long-term housing, while some may have secured private rental accommodation, others will have returned to live where their perpetrator, or become homeless.
YWCA Australia general manager community housing Charlotte Dillon said far too many women are finding it increasingly more difficult to secure safe and affordable housing as private rental rates hit record highs and vacancy rates dip to new lows across the nation.
“This development will provide safe, stable, affordable, long-term housing for 24 women, including mothers with children, who have experienced family and domestic violence, and provide a foundation to heal,” said Dillon.
South Australian Human Services Minister Nat Cook said without a safe and secure housing alternative, there’s a high risk these women and children will become homeless or stay in unsafe situations.
“These affordable rental homes will be a place for recovery from the trauma and abject fear that is part of the toxicity of domestic and family violence. Healing can begin when people know they are finally safe,” she added.
“We don’t ever want women to have to choose between having somewhere to live and being safe,” SA Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Katrine Hildyard said. “This development on Hutt Street is about ensuring they do not have to, a development that may save lives.”
