Women’s Property Initiatives is researching the needs of older women in need of long-term affordable housing in Frankston, Westernport and the Mornington Peninsula. We particularly want to know more about women who are “caught in the middle” – with savings or assets that make them ineligible to apply for social housing but not able to afford other housing options.
Research by Swinburne University of Technology – Not Poor enough, not rich enough: Older people falling through the housing assistance eligibility gap, highlights the urgent housing challenges faced by older Australians, and shows that there is an estimated 500,000 older Australians who are at risk of homelessness. This includes older women who are particularly vulnerable to becoming homeless. These women have been referred to as the “Missing Middle” women.
Funded by the Wicking Trust, WPI will undertake research to understand the housing needs of women caught in the middle, find out whether accommodation in retirement living communities might meet those needs and to consider designing a future pilot program to house women who aren’t able to access other housing options.
Our goal is to understand the type of accommodation that would suit the long term housing needs of “Missing Middle Women” in the Peninsula region and what financial arrangements might make be affordable for them.
Frequently Asked Questions:
To understand the extent and type of housing need experienced by older women in Frankston, Westernport and the Mornington Peninsula who are currently ineligible for social or community housing. As these women are ineligible to apply for social housing there is no information available and we are keen to hear from missing middle women about your housing experience.
We will also seek to understand whether accommodation available in retirement living communities might meet the needs of missing middle women and what financial arrangements or subsidies might help women to access housing. This information will be used to consider designing a future pilot program for women who have limited choices for safe and secure housing.
Your financial information will help us to understand what housing costs might be affordable to missing middle women. All financial information will be held by Women’s Property Initiative (WPI) and not released to any other party. WPI will record the information and securely store it. All financial information included in the research findings will be de-identified.
No one else will receive your personal information. No personal information will be disclosed to any other third party without your prior written permission.
All research findings will be de-identified and a final report will be available to support WPI to advocate for housing solutions for missing middle women.
See WPI’s Privacy Policy here
- Any women who is single and over 55 years old
- Receives a full or part Age Pension or Disability Pension or equivalent.
- Has assets from $58,000 up to $300,000.
- Is experiencing housing stress or housing insecurity.
- Is living in Frankston, Western Port or on the Mornington Peninsula.
WPI will use the information gained from this research to consider designing a future pilot program for women to house women who are caught in the middle.
You may choose to receive direct communication from WPI about the findings of this study and about any future pilot program.
Women’s Property Initiatives (WPI) is a not-for-profit organization that has worked for 29 years with government and philanthropic trusts to find housing solutions for women. We work to high ethical standards and ensure strict privacy protocols are followed.
Your personal details will not be shared with anyone outside of WPI. Participants will not receive any marketing by sharing your contact details for this study.
If you choose to share your contact details you will receive a copy of the summary of research findings by email.
A summary of our research findings will also be shared with any venue where this study has been advertised. All research findings will be de-identified.
If WPI is successful in establishing an innovative pilot project for missing middle women, you can let us know if you would be interested to find receive further information about the research or the pilot.
