12 November 2026
Community housing provider CHC has partnered with Karinya House, Canberra’s only specialist homelessness service for pregnant women and new mothers in crisis, to deliver three new transitional homes for women and children experiencing disadvantage, including domestic and family violence.
Work on the homes will start this month (November), with completion expected by the end of 2027.
The new homes will be one of the few independent community-led transitional housing projects of its kind in the ACT. They will provide safe housing and wrap around support for women and their babies at a critical point of crisis and transition.
CHC will develop, own and operate the homes, while Karinya House will provide specialist pregnancy and parenting support services.
Funding for the project has been committed under the Commonwealth Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund – Crisis and Transitional (HAFF CT) program, with an additional grant from Homes for Homes. Karinya House’s wrap around services is supported by Future Generation Australia and the Snow Foundation.
CHC CEO Nathan Dal Bon said this project shows the role community housing providers can play in working with specialist services, government and philanthropy to deliver practical housing solutions for women and children.
“CHC is committed to expanding our housing support for women and children in need, particularly where safe, stable housing can provide a pathway out of crisis and towards independence,” Mr Dal Bon said.
Karinya House CEO Lavinia Tyrrel said every woman who is pregnant or parenting should be supported to have safe and appropriate housing.
“These homes will give women and their children stability and support to chart a positive path forward, as they build confidence, connection and independence,” Ms Tyrrel said.
Housing Australia Acting CEO Sarah Amos said Housing Australia is proud to support this project and the partnerships behind it.
“By bringing together safe and stable housing with specialist support services, this project demonstrates how the Australian Government’s HAFF CT program is helping deliver innovative, trauma-informed housing solutions that give women and children the stability and support they need to move beyond crisis and look to the future with confidence and hope,” Ms Amos said.
The project brings together CHC’s housing delivery and tenancy management capability with Karinya House’s expertise in walking alongside women during pregnancy and early parenting.
The three homes will include a two-bedroom home and two four-bedroom homes, allowing the program to support women who are pregnant or with newborn babies as well as other children in their care, reflecting the reality that many women experiencing crisis are also caring for older children and need safe, family-appropriate accommodation in a community environment.
The homes will provide medium-term transitional accommodation, supporting women and their children for an expected period of six to 18 months, depending on safety, wellbeing and readiness to move into longer-term housing.
The homes are designed to offer a supported pathway from crisis to independence, with tailored support along their journey to long-term housing and independence.
The project also responds to broader housing pressures in the ACT, where high rents, low vacancy rates, cost of living pressure and a shortage of suitable crisis and transitional accommodation continue to compound risks for women and children experiencing crisis, including domestic and family violence. These pressures are particularly acute for women who are pregnant or parenting, who may be caring for newborns and other children while trying to find safe, stable housing.
Karinya House data indicates that between 2023 and 2025, 41 women, as well as infants and other children in their care, would have been eligible for the new homes — representing demand significantly greater than the initial supply of homes.
At a national level, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that around 117,000 specialist homelessness services clients had experienced family and domestic violence in 2024-25, with women and children making up nine in 10 of that cohort.
The new transitional homes will remain in CHC’s portfolio, ensuring the investment continues to support women and children experiencing vulnerability over the long term.
CHC is continuing to build a pipeline of housing projects to support people in need, including women and children experiencing crisis. Prospective tenants looking for safe, stable and affordable housing are encouraged to reach out to CHC to learn more about current and future opportunities.
About CHC
CHC is dedicated to enabling more people to live in safe, quality and affordable homes. The Tier 1 registered Community Housing Provider, operating for more than 25 years, is the largest provider of affordable and social housing in the ACT. CHC delivers tenancy management, property management, client services, community development and affordable home ownership. www.chcaustralia.com.au
About Karinya House
Karinya House is a Canberra-based not-for-profit organisation supporting women who are pregnant or parenting babies and experiencing crisis with limited or no informal supports. Karinya House provides accommodation, case management, practical assistance and specialist support for women, with a focus on care, safety, and women’s agency; and walking alongside women as they build hope and plan for the future. www.karinyahouse.asn.au
