You’ve probably never thought that you may become homeless yourself … neither did Grace*. “I always thought I’d have some sort of stable environment to be in,” she admits. “I never thought I would end up in that position.” Grace faced a hard choice. She didn’t want to keep her girls in an unsafe home. She had to leave for their sake. But where would she and her two girls live? Diagnosed as legally blind at the age of 2 meant the odds were stacked against her. Trying to find rental housing with 2 young daughters, a disability and limited funds felt almost impossible. “I’m happy to make sacrifices with what I buy to afford rent. But … landlords don’t want to take the risk … there’s a massive stigma around single mums with houses,” says Grace. And her disability also means she can’t just live in any house. “I need very specific lighting to be able to see. I have to know my environment. If it’s dark, I can’t see at all,” she says. “Also, I do rely on walking around and public transport. So I definitely need to be in an area where it’s easy to get to shops and the things I need … Going somewhere I’ve never been before is a constant anxiety-ridden thing.” A friend suggested she reach out to Uniting for help. Uniting workers were able to step in to plead Grace’s case with real estate agents. They argued her disability and 2 children wouldn’t stop her from maintaining a home. Grace applied for more than 40 houses. Finally, with extra help from family and with Uniting assisting with the bond, Grace was approved. Uniting then helped provide a new washing machine, other appliances and furniture to make her new house feel like home. “Without help from Uniting, I would have ended up couch surfing or living in a share house, which would have been difficult with the girls,” says Grace. “It was literally life changing … The girls finally have their own place … I can baby proof things. I can set their things up … it was definitely a big relief.” Please help us share the warmth with your donation today, so we can support more families who need a safe home to survive the bitter winter. *Some details such as names have been changed to respect the wishes of the people featured. The photo accompanying this story is for illustrative purposes only. It is not a photo of the people featured in this story. (fb)

We commend the Victorian Government on its announcement of new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for rental properties. In 2023, through our ‘It’s a lifeline’: the long-term approach to improving energy support programs for households experiencing vulnerability research project, we spoke with renters and low-income homeowners who live in homes with little thermal comfort – homes which are draughty, poorly insulated and with inefficient heating and cooling systems. They have trouble paying bills, they ration their use of energy for heating and cooking, resulting in negative effects on health and other areas of life. The new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will directly support these households by switching from gas heaters to reverse-cycle air conditioning, and new standards for draught sealing, ceiling insulation and water-efficient shower heads. (fb)