We all know real estate values have increased over the last few years and most of us know rental costs have followed have followed the same trend. It's good if you are a landlord but bad news if you are a renter, but it's really bad news if you are a renter on a fixed income.
Unfortunately that describes a significant number of older women, now thought to be as many as more than 300,000 across the country and certainly describes a section of our own community, right here on the Central Coast.
One possible solution might be if these women could be organised into compatable pairs so that they might share accomodation, thus effectively halving their rental costs.
No one is suggesting it will be easy but the alternative of having older women homeless on our streets is unthinkable to Gosford Rotary.
That's why we have funded the SHOW project...........Shared Housing for Older Women.
Operating under the auspice of the Central Coast Community Womens Health Centre our funding will set up a web site to keep a register of needy women and connect them with accomodation providers, from real estate agents to community housing . For those without internet communication we have further funded a hand out pack.
Affordable housing is required across the nation but the solutions have to start somewhere and Gosford Rotary is pleased to lead the way.