Calling all landowners on the NSW Central Coast

Tiny-home-on-wheels offers a versatile affordable housing solution

It's been just over 2 years since our tiny-home-on-wheels (THOW) arrived at Backtrack in Armidale. 
Since July 2020 our THOW has been providing affordable accommodation for Backtrack youth during which 4 'tiny home' replicas (based on our Gosford Tiny Homes Pilot Project) have been built for additional housing.

Following the inspiring success of our tiny-home pilot, with tenants reporting improved mental health and increased engagement in education and employment, BackTrack Youth Works partnered with us to build four tiny homes of their own to assist in the provision of additional beds for at-risk young people in Armidale.

Mid June the NSW Government released a Discussion Paper calling for feedback on its 20-year vision for housing in NSW.  

Our submission focused on two main themes: UTILISATION OF AVAILABLE NSW GOVERNMENT OWNED LAND and SUPPORT FOR A RANGE OF HOUSING TYPES AND SIZES.

It is encouraging to see tiny-homes and other forms of moveable dwellings included as a genuine housing form. Tiny-homes are the most flexible housing form yet currently underutilised and often dismissed in preference for less affordable forms of housing. 

OPEN LETTER

22 July 2020
Dear Prime Minister,

We write to you regarding the urgent situation concerning homeless people sleeping rough and COVID-19. Australia has led the world in its crisis response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This included an extraordinary achievement in temporarily sheltering an estimated more than 7,000 homeless people who were either sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough in the first eight weeks of the pandemic alone.

In a 2016 Australian study ... over a period of twelve months ... a person experiencing homelessness accessed an average of $48,217 of government services. 

With the arrival of our tiny-home-on-wheels into Armidale, New South Wales, a young person now has a safe home and can begin to engage with the BackTrack Youth Works program.

Billie, Merlin, and Mulga have made themselves at home too.🐾🐾🐾

BackTrack Youth Works is looking to further collaborate with us and to build additional tiny homes as part of their work with young people in the region!

We were stunned and humbled to receive the NSW AHI (Australasian Housing Institute) award for Leading Innovation in partnership with Pacific Link Housing, who championed the submission.

The calibre of submissions demonstrates the high esteem in which the AHI is held and the important role it plays in uniting and supporting a vibrant and self-confident social housing sector.

DOWNLOAD the "Professional Excellence in Housing Awards 2019 Finalists" brochure

This was a team effort and we share this achievement with the following organisations and individuals who helped Australia's first tiny home project for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness be the success it is.

In five years the number of older woman experiencing homelessness has increased by 31% to close to 7,000 in 2016, Census data shows.

As an evolution of our pilot tiny-home project, we have designed a tiny home specifically for older women and mothers with young children.

Central Coast Council, NBRSArchitecture, Pacific Link Housing and Coast Shelter have again partnered with us to turn meanwhile-use land into safe and supported accommodation for women at risk of, or experiencing homelessness. 

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Our pilot tiny home project has proven itself a worthy alternative to homelessness.

The recent Anglicare Rental Housing Snapshot revealed that if you receive Newstart or Youth Allowance there is no affordable rental housing available to you! How do we change this reality for so many young people?

Since handing the keys to Pacific Link Housing and Coast Shelter a year ago, our four tiny homes in Gosford have changed the lives of six disadvantaged youth.

Why 'skinny'? When building a tiny house on wheels it's all about the weight!

We kept this build to under 3t by using lightweight materials and keeping fixtures minimalist. 

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

"It's not about building houses and structures, it's actually about changing people's lives." David Wooldridge, CEO Tiny Homes Foundation

With our pilot project completed and fully tenanted, we took some time to reflect on our achievements. In the video you hear from Tiny Homes Foundation, CEO David Wooldridge, and architects Derek Mah and Katie Lawson-Craig from NBRS+Architecture. 

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

"We have a passion to see homelessness solved in Australia." David Wooldridge, CEO Tiny Homes Foundation.

We believe we have an obligation to not only look after ourselves and the planet but, to also provide for those less fortunate. 

Our scaled-down version of the Aussie dream means dignified and independent living. Each tiny home is completely self-contained with direct access to community garden spaces.  

The response from the community has been overwhelming.

We spoke to over a hundred people over two days keen to know more about our pilot project and an enthusiasm to see the pilot succeed and further projects developed. 

Here are some photos taken of the homes after they have been expertly styled by Lily Fink (Lily Fink Surface Design) and Em Mackenzie-Cain.

2017 was a big year for Tiny Homes Foundation!

We learned more than a thing or two last year so we've put together this overview that, at a high-level, details 'What' and 'How' we can help your community solve homelessness. 

CLICK TO LAUNCH OVERVIEW

Get in touch to progress your local project – [email protected].

Solving two of our most significant social challenges, homelessness and unemployment, drive our charitable goals and why we recently partnered with the Australian Apprentice Association (AAA). 

We received our Construction Certificate in early January with many thanks to Professional Certification Group, Wall to Wall Design + Consulting and Skinny Whippet Building Services for helping us reach this milestone. Since then we've been busy digging holes, laying pipes, filling trenches and jackhammering footings.

The last three weeks have been the most rewarding for everyone involved as floors went down and frames went up. Our four homes and two common rooms now have roofs and each day they seem to settle a little more into their landscape.  

Hayley had no idea what a healthy relationship looked like for the first 20 years of her life. From the age of 14 Hayley was in and out of homelessness. 

Since finding permanent housing that is safe and secure Hayley has become a passionate advocate for people experiencing homelessness and affordable housing. 

We are incredibly pleased that Hayley has agreed to lend her voice to our endeavours to solve homelessness. We admire how Hayley, despite her disadvantaged background, is using her experience to shape solutions and guide discussions focused on housing and promoting dignity, safety and stewardship for anyone experiencing homelessness. 

Watch and listen to Rod, our building supervisor, as he explains how The Skills Generator and Tiny Homes Foundation are working together to solve homelessness.

Thanks Youth Connections. 

#SolvingHomelessness #HousingFirst

Our approach to #SolvingHomelessness – take a walk around #Australia's first #TinyHome project. 

Be quick, only 25 places available!

Interested in being part of the team building Australia's first tiny home project for the homeless? 

Tiny Homes Foundation (THF) has received DA approval to build what is believed to be Australia’s first tiny house project for homeless women, men, youth and the elderly. The pilot project next to Gosford Hospital on the NSW Central Coast will consist of four tiny homes, a common lounge, a common laundry/workshop and community vegetable gardens.

This graphic was created by Vicki Weetman (Tiny Living Australia) a current PhD candidate at Griffith University researching Tiny Housing Trends in Australia. Vicki's research research looks into our relationship with place/space and how it extends beyond the usual public conversation related to affordability factors and financial freedom.  

You can read more about Vicki's research here.

Hunter TAFE have developed a Tiny Home Build Course that aligns with our tiny home project in Gosford. Congratulations The Skills Generator, for initiating and progressing this innovative partnership

Tiny Homes Foundation was delighted to recently receive a letter of endorsement from Habitat for Humanity. Tiny Homes Foundation and Habitat For Humanity share the common goal of a housing first solution to aid disadvantaged groups within our community and to a future without homelessness.

Click to read letter of support

Last year we sent a 'shout-out' to local Gosford surveyors to help with surveying our first tiny home project. Chase Burke and Harvey were quick to put their hand up to support our goal of building tiny homes for the homeless.

We would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to the team at Chase Burke and Harvey for generously donating their time and resources to surveying the site at 25 Racecourse Road, Gosford. Their professionalism, courtesy and reliability far exceeded our expectations and we look forward to sharing the progress of the project with them.

Who are Chase Burke and Harvey?

If you’ve been living on the streets for some time then the idea of being responsible to a landlord and living amongst strangers is more than a little daunting. At Tiny Homes Foundation we are dedicated to providing an alternative to conventional housing – one that is as individual as each story from the street.

"(We) talk about structures and amenities, but the most basic principles of a home actually have very little to do with structures. It is privacy, security and the ability to stay warm and dry, beyond that everything else becomes a little more convenient.”

Many of us are familiar with the images of a ‘rough sleeper’ – men and women who live on the street. But most of us are probably unaware that in 2014 only 13% of 351,000 people who had experienced homelessness in the previous 12 months identified as ‘rough sleepers’. “In situations of homelessness, 68% of people had stayed with a relative, 52% with a friend, 13% had slept rough or in an abandoned building, and 7.7% had stayed in a shelter or refuge.” The General Social Survey: Summary Results, Australia, 2014, 29/06/2015

At Gosford City Council's 22 September Ordinary Council meeting, Councillors unanimously approved a two year lease for two properties - 25 Racecourse Rd, Gosford, and 50 Neera Rd, Umina Beach, which will see Tiny Homes Foundation establish its pilot program.

 Homes Foundation project partners, NBRS & Partners, have released preliminary designs for our unique pilot prototype. The design aims to highlight how small living spaces can be both liveable and functional, providing an affordable and dynamic housing solution.

Tiny Homes Foundation in partnership with local welfare service agencies have developed a draft set of guidelines to set out the processes for the operation of the pilot project, which aims to provide accommodation and support to people experiencing homelessness.

A draft conduct policy has also been developed to guide future on site conduct for tenants. The project aims to work within a collaborative supported service model that seeks to address the needs of people experiencing and at risk of homelessness.

Please view the draft Operating Guidelines and Conduct policy by downloading the articles via the links below:

• Draft Operating Guidelines
• Draft Conduct policy

The Tiny Homes Foundation welcomes NBRS+PARTNERS to the team.   NBRS+PARTNERS have over 50 Years experience in creating life changing environments which makes them a perfect partner.  We thank them for their support and look forward in working together.

We welcome Clayton Utz one of Australia's leading law firms and thank them for their support of the Tiny Homes Foundation.

Tiny Homes Foundation is currently meeting with various potential partners who have all interested in supporting the project on a variety of levels.  We aim to fill our 6 key category partners within the next 4 weeks.   

We welcome some of our latest partners to the project for their support. 

This is day one.   We will be working over the next month to finalise our plans and will be updating you again soon.  Thank you for visiting the site we are small although we believe we can make real change in peoples lives.  We welcome your ideas, support, questions and advice as we embark on this journey.