Vacant aged care facility to be put to 'meanwhile use'

Work is underway to convert a vacant aged care facility in South West Sydney into ‘meanwhile use’ as housing for older women. Meanwhile use is a housing model solution championed by Women’s Community Shelters and Housing All Australians; it involves the repurpose of vacant or underutilised properties into accommodation. Whiddon made the facility available for use, while Urban Property Group is refurbishing the property on a pro bono basis.

“Whiddon is proud to be part of this transformative initiative that provides safe, transitional housing for older women in our community,” Whiddon CEO Chris Mamarelis said. “As a not-for-profit aged care provider, we are also opening pathways to training and employment. This is part of our ongoing commitment to Collaborative Health initiatives which demonstrate what can be achieved by partnering across government, providers and community groups.”

A planning law change allowing certain properties to be repurposed to ‘meanwhile use’ housing without having to go through a development application enabled the project, with the initiative being co-funded by a $446,450 NSW Government Homelessness Innovation Fund. The property will accommodate 28 women from the region by October 2025, which, by the end of that month, will bring the total of safe beds for older women available through Women’s Community Shelters to 100 beds per night.

Urban Property Group starting bathroom works.

“Women’s Community Shelters creates safe havens for Australian women escaping the cycle of violence and homelessness,” Women’s Community Shelters CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM said. “As well as continuously growing our crisis shelter network, we create longer-term transitional housing such as this ‘meanwhile use’ conversion of vacant property, where women can rebuild their lives with support.”

Images: The facility before refurbishment.