Sixteen homes using an innovative head-leasing model have opened for women and children escaping family violence in Greater Dandenong.
Housing and family violence support service Wayss has added the homes to its existing 14 residences funded by the Department of Health and Human Services head-lease program.
That’s 30 homes for families in need in the past 12 months.
Under the scheme, Wayss accesses private rental stock – which will result in “incredibly positive outcomes”, Wayss chief executive Elizabeth Thomas said.
“That’s 30 families that now have the chance to build a positive rental history to support future tenancy applications – it’s access to a critical first step that they may not have been able to take without this program.
“Stable housing is the first step in empowering a family violence victim survivor to take control of their life and recover.
“Once the family has secure accommodation, we can then coordinate specialist support services to help the woman and her children rebuild their lives.”
Wayss conducts full safety and risk assessments of properties and works closely with real estate agents before families move in.
Under head-leasing, tenants pay 33 per cent of the rent for the first six months, and 66 per cent until the end of the 12-month tenancy – with the hope of then taking over the lease.
The subsidy allows a woman escaping a financially abusive relationship to get on top of their finances.
Ms Thomas said head-leasing was “an extension of the housing first model which focuses on getting people housed in safe, secure accommodation and then supporting them to stay housed by access to dedicated case-management”.
