Program aims to provide safe, long-term rental accommodation to women and families
The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia has partnered with Zonta House Refuge Association for a program to provide access to safe and stable long-term accommodation to women and families.
The program expands REIWA’s work to help vulnerable tenants move from crisis accommodation to private rental housing through its Community REInvest Tenancy Training program.
Sonta House launched the Safe Home Safe Family: Rapid ReHousing program at a March 23 event, REIWA said in a press release. The event was attended by guests from the real estate industry and government, including Sabine WInton, minister for prevention of family and domestic violence (FDV).
FDV is the leading cause of homelessness among women and children, REIWA said. The partnership with Zonta House will connect socially conscious landlords with victims and survivors to help them find a new home.
“As property managers, we are in the unique position of being able to directly link vulnerable tenants with socially conscious landlords,” said Suzanne Brown, deputy president of REIWA. “Tenants that have come to us from rehousing programs have turned out to be fantastic tenants, grateful for the opportunity to change their lives. Meanwhile, our landlords have thanked us for showing them how an investment property can be rewarding in the social sense, not just financially.”
Brown urged property managers to speak to their landlords about joining the program, which she said was more important than ever amid the continuing rental crisis.
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The Rapid ReHousing program has an initial commitment to rehouse 40 women and their children. The program had already received 29 applications even before the official launch last week, REIWA said.
Kombe Musonda, Zonta House team leader, said the program was intended to expand and help many more families.
Winton said that moving women and children out of emergency accommodation and into rental housing also helps refuges to support other victim-survivors in need of crisis accommodation amid the rising homelessness crisis.
Landlords who want to participate in the program can contact their property manager, call Zonta House at 1800 870 149, or email [email protected].
The partnership with Zonta House comes after REIWA CEO Cath Hart was appointed to a government advisory group that aims to tackle homelessness in Western Australia.
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