With the housing crisis still ever present, advocates are calling for changes to planning law that would allow for more vacant homes to be re-purposed. One program in New South Wales is already helping hundreds of vulnerable women find shelter by temporarily converting unused properties.
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00:00At the age of 70, Marilyn Johnson is putting down new roots.
00:07I say every morning, this is really, you know, this is really your life, this is really your forever home.
00:15She lives by herself, having experienced multiple abusive partners throughout her life.
00:21You know, he destroyed my home, he came and cut all my clothes with a razor blade,
00:25cut all the power cords and, you know, anyway, on and on it went.
00:30She recently moved into this Central Coast unit after spending six months living here,
00:36at a women's community shelter, with a difference.
00:39We call our program Meanwhile Use.
00:41What it is, is that Women's Community Shelters makes use of buildings that are either unoccupied or underutilised,
00:48that are suitable for residential purposes,
00:50but for whatever reason the landlord isn't using them for a period of time.
00:54These rooms were part of an aged care facility that had fallen out of use.
00:59Now they're providing refuge to survivors of domestic violence and other women at risk of homelessness.
01:06It's just like the most amazing place because you have everything provided for you.
01:12Especially when you think about whether, you know, your mum or your grandmother is going to be living in this space,
01:17we want to make sure that it's nice and safe and comfortable.
01:21More than 350 women have been supported by the program so far,
01:25but organisers say there are more women in need and more vacant properties that could be repurposed if planning laws are reformed.
01:33One of the chief barriers that we're facing at the moment is an enormous amount of red tape and regulation.
01:39The program also gives participants a rental history,
01:43removing a barrier many women in shelters face when transitioning back to a private rental.
01:49It's like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
01:52Paving the way for women to get housing that's safe and secure.