Join this innovative collaboration to support greater access to housing for women and families escaping domestic and family violence and homelessness.
About Pathways Home
Pathways Home is a partnership platform that brings together property owners, not-for-profit organisations and philanthropic partners to deliver innovative housing solutions for women and families escaping domestic and family violence and homelessness.
Pathways Home works with partners to identify, and make available, vacant or underutilised housing suitable for meanwhile use to increase access to safe and affordable housing.
Access to safe, secure and affordable housing is a critical component of recovery from trauma and is essential to ending homelessness.
The Issue
In 2018-2019, 40% of people assisted by homelessness services had experienced domestic and family violence (R1)
Over 1.34 million people receive Commonwealth Rent Assistance but 47% are still in severe housing stress. (R2)
Domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and their children.
There has been a 31% increase in the number of older single women experiencing homelessness between 2011 – 2016. (R3)
The number of people homeless has increased by 14% from 2011 – 2016. (R4)
Homelessness is connected to poor mental and physical health, substance abuse, unemployment and social isolation.
What is meanwhile use?
The term meanwhile use originates from the United Kingdom where it was used to describe vacant land and buildings that were repurposed for cultural or community development activities until they could be brought back into commercial use. For Pathways Home, meanwhile use describes vacant or underutilised property that can be repurposed to house women and families until it is required by the owner for its intended use.
FOUNDATION PARTNERS
The Foundation Partners for Pathways Home are PAYCE Foundation, Women’s Community Shelters and Bridge Housing Ltd.
In 2016 PAYCE approached Women’s Community Shelters (WCS) with an opportunity to utilise vacant properties land-banked for future development at no cost to WCS. WCS saw an opportunity to provide transitional housing to clients exiting crisis accommodation, particularly those not entitled to mainstream housing supports or private rental products.
