FAQs

The complex is designed for ageing in place (LHA Gold standard guidelines).

As long as you meet the standard eligibility criteria and able to live independently you are welcome to attend the workshops where participants self-select their groups of five.

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Our charity status requires that, after a woman pays for her SWF unit, her assets must meet eligibility criteria for Queensland social housing.

https://www.qld.gov.au/housing/public-community-housing/eligibility-applying-for-housing/guide-to-applying-for-housing-assistance/check-your-eligibility

You must be an older woman (55 years +), renting (do not own property),financially vulnerable but with means to purchase a long-term secure lease. Lease costs will be determined by the Foundation prior to each building project.

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The Sharing with Friends community is a “Shared Equity” model. The Foundation owns the land, and you have life-time lease (50 years) of your unit.

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Each woman leases her individual unit plus a share in the larger communal unit. The communal facility has a large kitchen for entertaining and shared meals, a spare bathroom and laundry facilities, plus a large deck for BBQ’s and outdoor activities.

Yes- Internal decorating changes will be at your discretion.

Each architect-designed unit is 35 square meters plus its own private courtyard. The unit includes a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen area, facing into the central shared courtyard.

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In future, with prior arrangement, you may be able to visit an established community to meet Residents and learn from their experiences.

Everyone chooses their neighbours. For each community, the Foundation runs a series of ten (10) workshops to cover the information to assist you to decide if Sharing with Friends model is right for you. The workshops give the opportunity for women to meet, get to know each other, identify shared values, and decide who would make a good neighbours. Women negotiate with each other to form groups of five (5).

Two separate funds - an Administrative Fund and a Sinking Fund will cover general maintenance and utilities related to overall communal issues. Each woman’s weekly contribution will depend on the costs associated with each community of five (5) and will be determined as part of the Residents’ Agreement (approx. $120 per week).

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There are no exit fees. The Resident ends their lease with the Foundation and is refunded their initial contribution plus CPI minus renovation cost of the unit. This model preserves her original capital. To maintain the status of affordable housing the unit cannot be sold on the open market. The Foundation will make arrangement for the unit to be sold through a subsequent workshop series.

You can leave your unit in your will. It is important that the beneficiary understands the exit strategy for your unit (see above).

Residents are free to leave at any time they choose. A notice period is required and outlined in the Residents’ Agreement.

The Residents Agreement identifies strategies to manage issues and complaints. The Foundation will only step in should there be an impasse that cannot be resolved and is requested by the group.

External changes within the Community require agreement from the other Residents. Structural changes would need to be referred to the Foundation for approval.

Within the Residents Agreement, each group makes its own rules relating to visitors/pets and other shared living arrangements.

The site has two on-site car spaces to be shared between the five (5) residents. We strongly recommend that the residents form a car-sharing agreement and work out a mutually beneficial roster to save money and parking space.