2025/2026 was a year of purposeful growth, with WHC expanding its housing portfolio, strengthening its development pipeline and advancing innovative solutions to address housing insecurity for women across NSW. Guided by our 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, WHC ensured growth remained aligned with its mission, capability and long-term stability.
In partnership with Homes NSW, three new housing for older women projects were completed during the year in Airds, Merrylands and Camden, providing 26 new homes.
WHC purchased a block of units in Liverpool to provide social housing for women and children leaving violence. A further 6 properties were acquired in July 2026.
Under the Woollahra Domestic and Family Violence Accommodation and Support Program, Woollahra Council provided funding for an additional 2 properties this year, bringing the total to 12 homes.
WHC acquired six 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom units in the Eastern Suburbs to provide affordable housing for working women with and without children.
Women experiencing homelessness often require more than housing alone. In line with our commitment to developing specialist housing options and support programs for women with specific needs, WHC continued to explore innovative, gender-responsive housing models and partnerships that provide the tailored support women need to achieve long-term housing stability.
WHC has been allocated funding through Stream 1 of the Building Crisis Housing Plan (BCHP) fund. We are working with our strategic partner, the Haymarket Foundation, to move forward an innovative transitional housing model. The model reduces reliance on temporary and crisis accommodation, improves health and wellbeing outcomes, and strengthens single women’s
Stronger Together is an innovative WHC pilot program delivering safe, affordable, and long-term social housing for single women aged 55 and over in South Western Sydney. Supported by the NSW Government’s Service Reform and Innovation Grant, the program addresses housing insecurity among older women through a co-living model that balances independence with connection. Each resident has their own tenancy agreement and private space while sharing a supportive home environment. By combining affordable rents, long-term housing security, a connection-first matching process, and opportunities for community engagement, Stronger Together provides a faster pathway to stable housing, reducing social isolation and improving wellbeing.
Isla* and Jessica* became the second household established through the Stronger Together pilot program, highlighting the power of innovative housing options for older women. Isla*, an existing WHC tenant, was seeking a larger home that could better support her medical needs while providing greater opportunities for social connection. Jessica*, referred by Liverpool Women’s Health Centre, was living alone in private rental accommodation and looking for a more affordable and sustainable housing option that offered long-term security and a sense of community.
Through strong partnerships with support services and Stronger Together’s connection-first matching process, WHC brought these two women together to create a new shared household. Their journey demonstrates how co-living can support women to age in place with dignity, independence, and stability while reducing social isolation and fostering meaningful connections. What began as two separate housing journeys evolved into a long-term shared home, providing both women with security, companionship, and a renewed sense of belonging.
*deidentified names
Throughout the year we have championed the need for supported housing for women, particularly for homeless women. This type of housing provides a strong social return on investment by reducing reliance on temporary and crisis accommodation, improving health and wellbeing outcomes, and strengthening homeless women’s pathways into long-term sustainable housing.
Our Women’s Supported Housing model provides:
We championed the need for supported housing for women at sector forums and stakeholder meetings, including presenting our research and case studies at the Australian Community Housing Development and Assets Roundtable in Melbourne.
We have also developed a partnership with the Haymarket Foundation, who would provide support to our women, and are actively pursuing opportunities with them. Collaboration remains central to this work. We continued to engage with the City of Sydney and other key stakeholders, sharing costings, exploring opportunities and building relationships with prospective support partners.
Securing funding for feasibility, design and delivery remains a critical next step. WHC continues to monitor grant opportunities and advocate for investment in innovative, gender-responsive housing solutions that address the growing housing needs of women across New South Wales.
Through strategic planning activities WHC is working towards proactive rather than reactive growth. Work has commenced to map our existing homes, link housing need data to these geographical areas and identify where housing need continues to grow. This work will enable us to prioritise the locations in which we focus our growth efforts. We are also reviewing the age demographic of our tenants to ensure we focus on delivering the right type of accommodation (e.g. older persons accommodation) in the right places. This work will enable us to finalise our Growth Strategy which is due to be adopted in March 2027.
Our on-site and funded pipeline continues to grow with 47 homes due to complete in FY27. These are set out below A further 84 homes are being considered through grant funding tenders and partnership projects. We continue to work with and support many strategic partners across NSW. We have submitted funding bids with three partners all of which will be determined in FY27.
As part of our growth planning approach a review of WHC’s portfolio is also underway to identify homes where there is potential to extend or redevelop the building/plot to increase the number of homes we provide. We are also assessing the suitability of plots for the placing of a modular unit (to form a second home) in the garden. The outputs of this review will be used to identify properties with development potential that could form part of our future growth pipeline.
We continue to advocate for affordable housing for women in high value areas, where they are being priced out of the market. Secure and affordable housing, close to work, is critical as women make up a large proportion of the essential workforce and yet many cannot afford to live near their work. With support from Homes NSW, we successfully acquired a block of six homes that will provide affordable housing for women living and working in the Eastern Suburbs. These homes will be refurbished and available for women in FY27.
Due for delivery in July 2026
Due for delivery in October 2026
Due for delivery in November 2026
Due for delivery in February 2027
Due for delivery in June 2027
Due for delivery in December 2027
As WHC continued to expand its housing portfolio and development pipeline, a Development Advisory Board was established to provide independent specialist advice on redevelopment opportunities, strategic asset management and complex property transactions. This advisory Board will play an important role in supporting informed decision making and helping WHC maximise opportunities to deliver more quality homes for women across NSW.
Affirm Organisational Development & Training
Arise
Art Gallery of NSW
Asha Zappa
Australian Community Housing
Australian Women’s Weekly
Barpa Construction Services
Bebi Zekirovski
Bechtel
Beta Cafe
Bondi Beach Cottage
Botanic Gardens of Sydney
Bridget Stehli
Buoyancy Consulting Group
Caledonian Society
Cameron Jane Makeup Academy
CareSeekers
Charlotte Rose
Choice
Community First Steps Fairfield
Connel Griffin
Core Community Support Services
Cue
Dandelion
Dooley’s Catholic Club
Dr Attracta Lagan
Dress for Success
E4
Elizabeth Cartmer
Escabags
Evolve Housing
Fiona Seath
Flourish
Gandangara Health Services
George and Jaqui Maree Stamas
Global Sisters
Good 360
Grace Hawkins
Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Services
Grow
Habitat Women
Hannah Anderson
Harris Park Community Centre
Helping Hands
Homes NSW | Department of Communities and Justice
Homestart
House of Sakinah
Humans and Co.
Hume Community Housing
Icon
Infrastructure Advisory Group
Jenny’s Place
Jessica Maybury
Jewish Care
Jewish House
Junction Neighbourhood Centre
Kaimera
Karitane
Keune
Kirrilee Trist
Ladies Finance Club
Landscafe Foundation Australia
Launchpad
Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre
Lokahi
Matisse Walkden-Brown
McCullough Robertson
Melanie Booth
Merrylands RSL
Mirvac
Mobileyes Optometry and Dental Services
MODELROCK
Molly Benjamin
Morwenna Collett Consulting
Natasha Fong
Navitas
Nova for Women and Children
Older Women’s Network NSW
Omer Zekirovski
OWN
Parramatta Leagues Club
PopCom
Premium Strata
Randwick City Council
Relove
Rendu House
Rogue Beauty
Roni Millard, The Wellbeing Edge
Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney
Salvation Army
Sample Coffee
Sarah Rosenberg
SCT Consulting
Settlement Services International
She Shapes History
Sima Rowshan
Sleepsafe
Sonia Simich
St Vincent de Paul
Stephen J. De Jager
Strata
Street Hearts Second Hand Furniture
Success Works
TAFE NSW
Tee Legal
Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation
The Australian School of Reflexology
The Deli
The Highwire Group
The Parks Community Network Merrylands
The Paul Ramsay Foundation
Thread Together
Two Good Co
Vanity Group
Victims Services NSW
WAGEC
Warrina
Wenty’s Leagues Club
Wesley Mission
Western Sydney University
WMK Architecture
Woollahra Municipal Council
YWCA
A sense of purpose can be transformative. Through the Women’s Housing Company’s Purposeful Pathways program, women facing a range of personal, social and economic barriers are supported to build confidence, develop new skills and pursue education, employment and volunteering opportunities that help them achieve their goals. Arpita, WHC’s Purposeful Pathways Coordinator, works alongside women everyday […]
When Miranda first walked into Women’s Housing Company for her initial appointment, she shared a simple but powerful concern: “I think I want to work, but I’m scared about how to start.” Although she had always embraced opportunities with passion and dedication, Miranda carried the weight of a negative past work experience that had shaken […]
What starts as a simple craft session at Liverpool Women’s Health Centre often becomes the first step towards something much bigger for Women’s Housing Company tenants. Funded by Women’s Housing Company and hosted at Liverpool Women’s Health Centre, a weekly craft group provides a welcoming space where women can build confidence, form friendships and access […]
