Arabic version: سكن تشاركي في بريزبن يوفر الأمان للنساء الأكبر سناً

According to ABC News, an Australian-first co-housing development has opened in Darra, south-west of Brisbane, providing five older women with long-term homes. The women each paid $120,000 and signed 50-year leases through the Sharing with Friends charity, which says the arrangement means they will not be forced out of their homes.

Residents have private self-contained studio units with kitchens and courtyards, alongside a shared kitchen, living room and central courtyard. Ann Singh, 79, said she had moved between rentals and house-sitting after a divorce left her struggling financially. She described the development as “such a perfect solution” for women with some money but not enough to buy a property.

Robyn Duffy-Jones, 60, said she had rented throughout her life and was rejected by banks when she sought a home loan in her mid-50s. She said the prospect of living in a tent had terrified her and called the project “a saviour”. The $120,000 contribution was based on the average amount a woman at retirement age had in superannuation when the project was developed.

Sharing With Friends president Susan Davies said the project was created after the charity heard repeated accounts of single older women unable to secure decent housing. She described them as the “missing middle” — people with too much to qualify for social housing but too little to buy a home. Census data from five years ago showed homelessness among women over 55 had risen 40 per cent over the previous decade.

The charity owns the land, while residents pay electricity and rates. When a resident leaves or dies, the initial investment is returned with CPI added. Sharing with Friends wants to expand the model nationally, but says councils and governments must reduce planning barriers. Architect Eloise Atkinson designed the project pro bono, aiming to combine privacy with community.