New home provides hope

Published: 

24 November 2021 10:20AM

A boarding house in inner-city Brisbane has been transformed into a safe, welcoming home for six women aged over 55 and a much-loved dog, Honey.

Jane, from Bric Housing, said the repurposed boarding house provides a safe and secure home for these women.

“Older women are less likely to ask for housing assistance, even though they might be homeless, couch surfing or living in their cars,” Jane said.

“So, this kind of project meets an important gap in the affordable accommodation market.”

Staff from Bric, Communify, and Mission Australia worked together to renovate the home and find new tenants.

“We made over the living room and kitchen and moved the laundry into house to make it more accessible,” Jane said.

“Mission Australia has helped us identify homeless older women who welcomed the opportunity to live with a group of women in a house with shared facilities.

“We have supported their decision making on how the house should run – things like having a pet, visitors, cooking meals and planning social activities together and sharing the cleaning.”

The women receive support to navigate any challenges they face as they settle into the accommodation and move forward with their lives.

One of the new tenants, Linda*, was living in her car with her dog Honey, after the people she loved let her down.

“I now have a safe place for me and Honey,” Linda said.

“She’s done the times of want with me, kept me warm and safe in the car during the months of nights sleeping rough, licked my tears and made me laugh.

“This home enhances my quality of life and gives me a real future — which I haven’t thought I would have in a long, long time.

“I’m caring for myself again and feeling optimistic. I am even planting vegetables I know I’ll be around to harvest.”

Find out more about how we help people who need access to housing.

*Name changed to protect privacy