Other Alternatives
Introduction
There are other alternatives that you might like to consider.
Cohousing is a sustainable and affordable approach to living in community. Cohousing communities are sometimes called intentional communities, with people seeking out a community feel to their home lives. They are created and run by their residents cooperating to create better lives. Each household has a self-contained, private home as well as shared community space. Residents come together to manage their community, share activities, and regularly eat together.
An intentional community is a voluntary residential community designed from the start to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision, and typically share responsibilities and property.
Social housing is the term given to accommodation which is provided at affordable rates, on a secure basis to people on low incomes or with particular needs. Social housing properties are usually owned by the state government, or by non-profit organisations.
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There are also different types of collectives in which people come together to share various resources e.g. a Co-ordinator. However each person lives in their own home.
Key Points
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There are alternatives to private rentals or buying a home.
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Cohousing is a group of people living in their own home with a shared common area.
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Intentional housing is similar to cohousing, but is designed from the start to work in this way.
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Social housing is a low cost option owned by the government or non-profit organisations.
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There are other ways that people come together to share resources e.g. collectives.
Watch Videos
Creating My Home with SDA
by Community Resource Unit
In this video, through two different stories, you will meet Jenna, Julius and their families, and hear how they each used Specialist Disability Accommodation funding to build their own homes. They explain why they chose to go down this path, some of the hurdles they navigated, and the benefits.
Click on the Video to watch ->
The Homeswest Experience
by Jill Hole
Homeswest is a is a small family governed collective in Queeensland that came togther to assist each of their sons and daughter to live in their own home. In this presentation, Jill Hole shares their jounrey.
Click on the Video to watch ->
Living Distinctive Lives
by Living Distinctive Lives (Produced by Belonging Matters)
Living Distinctive Lives is a small family governed collective in Victoria that came togther to assist each of their sons and daughter to live in their own home. In this presentation, members share their story.
Click on the Video to watch ->
Read
Tiffany's story - a home of my own
by Linda Dawe and Janet Klees
Through Tiffany's story, Janet and Linda share the story of the Deohaeko Support Network
Accommodation - its more than a matter of housing
by Jo Walters
Jo Walters shares the experiences of a family governed collective called Living Distinctive Lives. She raises the importance of seeing home as more than housing, the importance of having a positive, unique vision and gathering supports to make a vision a reality.
Useful Links
Nightingale
by Nightingale Housing
Nightingale is based on the idea of living simply. We deliver well built, sustainable homes that are minimal and honest. We take out things like second bathrooms, individual laundries and basement carparks to reduce the cost of construction and ongoing maintenance. Instead, we include things that are important for the creation of healthy, comfortable, sustainable homes like double glazing, excellent insulation and 100% certified Green Power.
It’s about building less, to give more.
Murundaka
by Murundaka Cohousing Community
We are Murundaka Cohousing Community - a housing cooperative and an intentional community based in Heidelberg Heights in Melbourne, Australia. Our community was formed in 2011 and there are 20 households and approximately 35-40 people that are members of our community. We are proud members of the Common Equity Housing program - an all-rental, social housing program that provides quality, long-term housing to Victorians. Murundaka's twenty properties are members of Earth Co-op (Earth Common Equity Housing Cooperative). Earth Co-op is one of over a hundred housing co-operatives in the CEHL program and we are proud to uphold the principles of co-operatives.
Collaborative housing
by Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney.
Collaborative housing is a movement that’s revolutionising the way homes are designed, built, lived in and valued. It encourages participation, sharing and community-building, while recognising that every household wants privacy, security and financial autonomy.​ By enabling residents to share costs and pool resources, collaborative housing can make buying or renting a home cheaper. Add this to the benefits of living in a connected, supportive community and it’s easy to see why the movement is growing!
Click Here to Read - "Collaborative housing"
The Housing Hub
by Summer Foundation
An online database of people with disability who are seeking home and potential housing providers and homes.
We come bearing gifts - the story of the Deohaeko Network
by Janet Klees
We Come Bearing Gifts tells the story of the Deohaeko Support Network, a small group of families who strongly believed that their sons and daughter with disabilities, although having complex needs, would live in a home of their own alongside other people who welcomed them. Janet Klees outlines how Deahaeko joined with the Rougemount community to create a place of warmth and acceptance.
Our presence has roots - The ongoing story of the Deohaeko Support Network
by Janet Klees
Our Presence Has Roots updates the Deohaeko story and provides thoughtful detail about the fundamental principles and values that have guided the processes for people with disabilities to live well in their own homes and communities. The book serves as an essential read for anyone striving to be with people who otherwise would be marginalised.
Cohousing
by Cohousing Australia
A civil society co-operative, comprising of and supporting individuals, groups, communities, academics, advocates, professionals, and you, to expand the collaborative housing sector in Australia.
Common Equity Housing South Australia
by CEHSA
A housing co-operative (or housing co-op) is a community of people who work together to meet their housing needs.
Co-op members share activities in the management and running of their co-op, with opportunities for all members to participate in the co-op, according to their capacity and ability.
Common Equity Housing Victoria
by CEHL
To partner with member co-ops to deliver an effective, sustainable and member-led co-operative housing program.
Community Housing Industry Association
CHIA works collaboratively with the state and territory peak bodies and on behalf of our 158 full members, who manage assets of over $18 billion and a portfolio of more than 118,000 homes, to represent and advocate on behalf of the community housing industry at a national level.