Three sisters and their children now have places to call their own in Taree with support from community housing provider Home in Place and the Aboriginal Housing Office.
Atarla, Sherrina and Jasmaine were homeless after having to leave their older sister’s overcrowded three-bedroom home in Taree. With nowhere to go, the sisters contacted Link2Home, who organised a motel for three nights.
With a need for stable accommodation, the sisters walked into the Taree Home in Place branch and spoke with Housing Access Officer, Kacee. Kacee worked with the family to provide them a month’s temporary accommodation and support, while they searched for permanent accommodation.
“Being homeless with children, you’re in a very vulnerable situation, it plays on your mental health” Kacee said.
“Women and children shouldn’t be living on the streets or in motels,” she said.
The sisters are very thankful for Kacee’s support and guidance. They say she is deadly.
She encouraged the women to keep applying for vacant homes to rent at local real estate agents and filling in their rental diaries. She also helped them to change their social housing application for one home to be three bedrooms, rather than four, to help them gain a social housing vacancy sooner.
“We were waiting for real estate agents to call us to come and view properties, but Kacee said we need to keep going in and asking about properties,” Jasmaine said.
“We took our babies with us and went every day, it was tiring and draining,” she said.
“You’ve got to help yourself for them to help you.”
The sisters had made nearly 30 unsuccessful applications when Kacee was able to secure a Home in Place managed home for two of the sisters Atarla, Sherrina. She worked with the Aboriginal Housing Office to gain a home it manages in the same street for Jasmaine and her children.
“We wouldn’t be where we are without Kacee.”
“I had the biggest smile, couldn’t stop smiling, I couldn’t stop thanking Kacee. I was smiling so much my mouth started to hurt.”
The sisters are also grateful for donations of food and clothing.
“We’re struggling to pay rent and buy things for ourselves.”
The women are houseproud and Jasmaine has been fixing up the back and front yards at her property.
Home in Place has had an office in Taree since 2019 after it took over the management of more than 1,000 social housing homes on the mid North Coast from the NSW Government.
