Modular pilot homes launch to help women locked out of market
LONDON: Women locked out of the housing market have been offered a new pathway into ownership, that has been designed specifically for those who need it most.
The brutal extent of Australia’s housing insecurity has been spotlit in a new report, with findings that show almost two-thirds of homelessness services are turning away people they would have once helped, with some providers turning away as many people as they take in.
Renters are now also bracing for the impact of the latest interest rate rise, an 18-year high of 4.85 per cent, that could see their payments continue to increase.
The growing impact of housing affordability strain has prompted not-for-profit Global Sisters to help more women into home ownership.
Little Green Houses is a new initiative they have created to help tackle Australia’s housing crisis by creating affordable, energy-efficient modular homes paired with accessible loans, designed to support women experiencing housing insecurity to build lasting financial security.
Built with modular precast construction and designed for a 100-year structural life, the first pilot is being developed in Armidale, NSW, in collaboration with Armidale Regional Council.
“The reason that global sisters started Little Green Houses – is because they just could see women struggling to keep up with affordable rents,” Heidi Albertiri, co-host of Global Sisters podcast Locked Out said.
“The solution is to try and create an affordable housing model where women can purchase a home that’s set up in a micro community and we can reduce the cost for her, so that she can have a legacy and she can pass on to her kids.
“Because otherwise they can’t get into the market.”
With the first Little Green Houses project due to arrive on site in November, the remaining homes will follow in the new year, marking an important milestone for the pilot and the families it will support.
“Little Green Houses is about creating a genuine pathway to housing and economic security for women who have been excluded from traditional home ownership,” Global Sisters CEO Mandy Richards said.
“A home is more than a roof over your head. It can be the foundation for confidence, stability and the freedom to plan for the future.”
