Affordable Housing Information for applicants

Tenant

70-year-old Maria, a retired teacher, and her 42-year-old daughter Adriana, a childcare worker, were struggling to pay $550 a week (more than 50% of their income) for a house in South West Sydney until the owner decided to sell.

With limited options available within their budget, they didn’t know where they were going to live. They came across EchoRealty and found out they were eligible for affordable housing. They now live in a 2-bedroom unit paying $370 per week. As Maria is retired, she is still able to live in her community, maintaining connections with her social and healthcare networks. For Adriana, being able to live near a train station means she can still commute to her CBD job every day and save extra money on transport costs. Thanks to affordable housing, Maria and Adriana can now afford to run their heating in winter. Maria was also able to buy new reading glasses, which means she can now volunteer at her granddaughter’s school, assisting year three students with reading. Without affordable housing, Maria and Adriana would have continued to live in serious housing and financial stress.

Former tenant

Mariam, 25, was studying in her first year of university when family circumstances meant she could no longer live at home. As Mariam was studying full time and only working part time, her rental options were limited in an expensive Sydney market. Mariam was faced with the reality that she would need to drop out of her university course so she could work full time to pay her rent and other living expenses.

Mariam was put in touch with EchoRealty and found out that due to her study and work hours, she was eligible for affordable housing, a service she did not even know existed. Mariam moved into her own apartment in the Penrith region paying $286 per week, significantly lower than the market rate. Living in an EchoRealty property meant that Mariam could continue her studies and be living in an area that was close to transport, her university and workplace, meaning she could save money and focus on her studies. Not having the burden of rental stress hanging over her anymore, Mariam completed her degree while living in her EchoRealty property for 3 years. Since then, Mariam has become a qualified teacher and has moved into the private market in an area close to her new workplace.

As a key worker of her community, Mariam is giving back every day and thanks EchoRealty for supporting her to achieve that. Mariam said that withut EchoRealty, she would have never been able to complete her degree and be where she is today.

Tenant

Russell, 32, who is living with a physical and mild intellectual disability, had been living with his parents and was unable to find a property that suited his needs while also being affordable. With his parents moving into retirement and no longer able to support him, Russell needed to find his own home that allowed him to easily commute to his job as a part-time cleaner in the Sutherland area.

After finding EchoRealty through a support worker, Russell was able to move into his own apartment and live independently for the first time in his life. Russell pays $276 per week for his apartment in the Sutherland area, which is close to transport, shopping centres and his job. Without EchoRealty, Russell would not have been able to maintain his part-time work as travel would have been too difficult and he would not have been able to afford the local market rent. Russell now continues to be an active part of his community and is going from strength to strength, living independently and supporting himself.