Almost 700 women in the Greater Brisbane area aged over 55 years are homeless......

The Forgotten Women's project mission is to put a roof over the heads of as many of these vulnerable women as possible. This project is a unique, grassroots housing initiative for homeless women over 55 that will allow women to age in place with dignity and security.

The project is being delivered by Mangrove Housing, a Tier 2, not-for-profit, community housing provider who has been delivering housing solutions to vulnerable people since its establishment in 1993

through the simple acquisition of suitable properties, The Forgotten Women project will ensure these women have access to secure, safe and affordable housing options

40 000 QUEENSLAND WOMEN AT RISK

Why are they the Fastest Growing Homeless Population?

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lack of financial resources:

equal pay wasn’t granted until 1969
superannuation wasn’t compulsory until 1992
between 1940 - 1960 women accounted for

only 25% of the workforce

equal opportunity wasn’t enacted

until the 1980’s

gaps in workforce participation to raise

children (baby boomers)

separated and/or windowed

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fear & stigma:

A large majority of these women have limited or no prior experience of having to seek assistance and therefore lack an of understanding of
the service systems available to them
generational stigma associated with seeking welfare assistance
reluctance to identify as living in poverty or homeless

affordability:

Australia is in the midst of an Affordable Housing crisis
as the cost of housing rises so too does the physical distance between where they live now and where there are affordable housing options
removing women from the areas in which they have established social and support networks only seeks to isolate them further
inability to age in place
at risk of premature entry into the aged care system

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1 in 7 people experiencing homelessness in Australia are over 55

over 39 000 women over the age of 55 are at risk of becoming homeless. This figure is predicted to double by 2036

women over 55 are likely to have 40% less superannuation than their male counterparts

64% of older people living on the street are at risk of death within five

years

no relocation away from support networks to affordable areas

fit-for-purpose

prevention of early entry into the aged care system

affordable for life - income vs marketplace based

able to age peacefully in place

Land and/or Property acquisition

(in the areas these women have lived their lives)

We will buy, build, renovate and refurbish

our way to suitable housing

(fit-for-purpose home that enables aging in place)

Affordable and long term

(rent will never exceed 30% of total income regardless of

marketplace rates)

The Forgotten Women project has a simple idea:

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