"I am extremely grateful that WHL was able to provide me with the means of safe, secure and affordable housing during this time"
"WHL gave me the breathing space to focus and move forward despite the uncertainly of my future at that time"
"It was a huge sense of relief to be able to feel safe and secure and I was able to progress my life"
"WHL workers are patient, efficient and kind"
"WHL worker received us warmly and explained everything in detail."
"I have referred your service to another friend who needs assistance"
"Honestly, WHL could not have been more wonderful"
"I was a little overwhelmed because I had been homeless for a while so any help I received I was grateful for. I think your service is badly needed and there are lots of people out there like me who need your assistance. There needs to be more housing."
"Thanks you for your support. Thank you for your understanding. I have never had anyone act that way before."
"The WHL worker is wonderful and makes me feel understood and cared for"
"WHL staff are very warm, friendly and most helpful. They appear genuinely concerned about my well-being and are very re-assuring. I feel most welcome and comfortable here. I appreciate the welcoming attitude and good atmosphere."
"It was practically brand new – lovely to move into."
"The workers go out of their way to make this a bright relaxed atmosphere"
"The Rooming House was a stepping stone to getting permanent housing. The Rooming House gave me an opportunity to build links to my future housing, now in Community Housing"
"I had guilt and shame, very self critical, the time in the Rooming House allowed me to build myself up again"
"I had guilt and shame, very self critical, the time in the Rooming House allowed me to build myself up again"
"The Rooming House was a stepping stone to getting permanent housing. The Rooming House gave me an opportunity to build links to my future housing, now in Community Housing"
"I feel that the culture of Women's Housing Ltd does not judge tenants. There is a culture of respect"
"The staff all have excellent skills. If we had more people like you in our community, our community would be a much better place. All of the team worked so hard to help. Thank you for choosing us for this new property. This has made such a change to both of our lives."
"Excellent service, very professional."
"Thanks you so much for our lovely new home, it is much appreciated."
"On behalf of my family, I want to thank you sincerely for our beautiful new home. It is so wonderful how hard your organisation works to help so many people, I thank you and your team for all of your hard work and the difference you make in so many peoples lives."
"They were pleasant and generous with information"
"Always willing to help"
"Even during times that I was experiencing hardship, WHL was so accommodating"
"It's not just a housing service, it feels like a women's support service"
"I feel that the culture of Women's Housing Ltd does not judge tenants. There is a culture of respect"
"I would like to thank you and your team in regards to the financial assistance granted to me. It was overwhelming and I shall not forget the kindness."

Women’s Housing

All women have the right to safe, secure, affordable housing choices.

Women’s Housing Limited (WHL) is a statewide not for profit organisation that provides low costs housing to women at risk of homelessness. Women and their children make up an increasingly large percentage of those in need of affordable housing. Those groups that are likely to experience housing stress include older women over 55 and women who are forced to leave their home because of family violence.

Since becoming a Housing Association, WHL has significantly expanded and diversified it’s housing portfolio and housing development capacity. WHL has both the capacity and experience to deliver large-scale housing projects aimed at meeting the ever-growing demand. WHL will continue to advocate for the housing needs of women and children and contribute to the growth of affordable housing stock.

WHL also provide additional services including:
Intake and assessment services for homeless women
Distributing Housing Establishment Funds to assist women experiencing a housing crisis
Housing assistance and referral to women exiting prison

Since our establishment in 1997, we’ve been listening to and validating women’s experiences, and acting as their voice in the housing sector.

Want To Make A Donation

We have a huge demand on our service which includes not only seeking accommodation, but also the provision of basic toiletries, train tickets and food. With this increasing demand we need your help more than ever.

Please click on the Make a Donation logo to donate to Women’s Housing Ltd through the Give Now website.

Women's Housing Ltd

Quick Links

The Hamilton Housing Project

The Hamilton Rotarians welcomed Kate Ogilvie and Sarah Sheppard to their meeting last week to introduce the Hamilton Project. Kate and Sarah attended the Rotary meeting to answer any questions about the Community Housing development, which will be based in Hamilton on the unceded lands of the Gunditjmara people.

President Noel Howard, Kate Ogilvie, Kevin Safe and Sarah Sheppard

The project will provide 19 two-bedroom single story units and 5 three-bedroom double story townhouses. These will be available for women and their children that are at risk of homelessness and have strong connections to the Hamilton region (past or present).

One of the key goals of this project is to foster independence for residents. By offering secure and affordable housing, the project provides an opportunity for women and children to build a stable future. The units are designed to meet the needs of low-income individuals who often struggle to access the private rental market or achieve homeownership. This initiative offers a lifeline for those facing those challenges, ensuring that they have a safe place to call home.

WHL will be providing on-site support, with a dedicated tenancy officer who will visit regularly. The officer will assist with any rental-related questions and provide information for further support if needed. Additionally, the project will collaborate with local services and community groups to ensure that residents have access to a wide range of resources, fostering a supportive environment where they can thrive.

The Hamilton Housing Project represents a significant resource and step toward addressing housing insecurity in the region. WHL is demonstrating a commitment to empowering women and children in the regional victorian community.

Sheepvention

This August, the annual Sheepvention in Hamilton drew crowds to celebrate agriculture, innovation, and community. Our lovely representatives from Women’s Housing; Kate, Veronica, Adam, Tamara, and Michelle attended the event to showcase Women’s Housing’s (WHL) dedication to community engagement. Their attendance was especially significant given WHL’s recent expansion, now managing multiple properties in rural Victoria.

WHL Team (Adam and Veronica)

This was the second year Women’s Housing attended Sheepvention, and there was a notable difference. Locals expressed that they had a much clearer understanding of what Women’s Housing offers compared to last year. Many have been following our developments and have seen new properties becoming available to the local community.

Many of the conversations focused on dispelling misconceptions about Women’s Housing and explaining our mission to support local communities facing housing crises.

Sheepvention was a celebration that brought the Hamilton community together, offering an incredible array of information across all types of sectors. The event also had a fantastic selection of food for attendees, with the jam donuts being a WHL favourite.

The sheep of Sheepvention

The entertainment was equally as great as the food, and featured guys like this —>

To find out more about next year’s event, including dates, ticket information, and event highlights, visit the Hamilton Showrounds website.

Houses at Parliment

Over the last few months Women’s Housing among other organisations, have been folding origami houses for the Houses at Parliment campaign. Hosted by the Victorian Homelessness Network and Local Area Service Networks, the installation at Parliment lead into Homelessness Week.

A total of 6,000 houses were made, representing just 10% of the social housing stock needed in Victoria to address the needs of people and families on the VHR.

Last week, our lovely staff member Sarah Sheppard, who manages our Women’s Services Department, attended the campaign at parliament. Sarah served as the region contact for Northern Homelessness Network, a member of the HAP Logistics Working Group, and Chief Marshal on the day.

Sarah Sheppard at Parliment in Melbourne

Sarah Sheppard at Parliment steps

The Victorian Homelessness Network and Local Area Service Networks spoke to dozens of MPs about the housing crisis emphasizing the need for more funded support and more houses.

Minister Harriet Shing, without invitation or script, delivered an excellent speech on her commitment to ending homelessness. Media coverage was estimated to reach over 500,000 Australians through 15 radio programs and 8 TV programs, and we were featured in the Guardian’s roundup of best photos of the day.

Go to the VHN website to learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved.

Big Housing Build Project

As part of the Victorian State Government’s “Big Housing Build”, the first round of funding from Homes Victoria saw a total of $738 million invested in 89 projects across the state. WHL was successful in winning funding for 309 new social housing dwellings spread over 13 projects, and work on the projects is progressing.

The dwellings are designed to house women and children in need of a safe place to call home, and will target women and children escaping domestic violence and older women, with 10% of the new homes allocated to Aboriginal Victorians. It’s anticipated that some very happy new tenants will be given the keys to their homes by the end of 2023.