Burdekin is excited to report that three young people on our housing waitlist have been accommodated recently in a ‘Meanwhile Use’ property in Narrabeen.
‘Meanwhile Use’ is a concept of activating vacant or underused buildings to meet social or community needs.
Known as ‘Narrabeen Transitional Accommodation’, the building is being utilised as crisis and temporary housing before being redeveloped into a luxury retirement accommodation facility. The property is a former aged care complex that can currently accommodate up to 90 people.
The initiative was announced in the Macquarie Room of Parliament House on Wednesday May 28. At the announcement were CEO of Soul Patts – Todd Barlow and the Chair of Retirement by Moran – Dr. Shane Moran. Key speakers at the event included: Narelle Hand and Rosy Sullivan of Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter, and Simone Parsons of Bridge Housing.
Aged Care Facility becomes crisis and temporary accommodation
Retirement by Moran bought the aged care facility in 2024 and offered the site free of charge to Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter until construction commences in July 2026. Currently, the facility features studio and one-bedroom units with kitchenettes, lounges and balconies. Within one month of the building being offered to Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter, it was established and running smoothly as crisis and temporary accommodation.
“Meanwhile Use is a practical way to make use of dormant spaces, support young people in need of accommodation and contribute to more vibrant and liveable suburbs.”
Graham Bargwanna, Head of Business and Stakeholder Development at Burdekin.
The aim of the ‘Narrabeen Transitional Accommodation’ is to provide a safe and secure environment for the young people to rebuild their lives and transition to permanent housing.
The opportunity for Burdekin to house three of our young people came from the Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter and Bridge Housing, who sought to widen the accommodation opportunity to include young people at risk of homelessness.
Wrap-around support offered to young people
Burdekin is currently working in partnership with Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter, Mission Australia and Women & Children First. Burdekin is providing the essential wrap-around support to the three tenants, with Bridge Housing managing the property and lease.
The young people living in the property will work one-on-one with a Burdekin Case Manager to develop independent living skills, like budgeting, cooking, job searching, and will be provided with educational and job search support.
“If the buildings were homes for people before they were vacated, they should be able to be repurposed to temporary emergency accommodation without extensive red tape. With so many homes sitting empty while people struggle to find shelter, these planning reforms are a practical, common-sense solution to help young people into homes.”
NSW Government Minister for Planning and Public Places, Paul Scully, said recently on the topic.
Planning Controls encourage Meanwhile Use
The need for emergency housing has grown in recent years and can include housing for women and children seeking to leave a violent home but not having a safer option to go to, a sudden or unexpected change in a person’s circumstances or members of the community facing homelessness.
More crisis and temporary accommodation will be accessible with the changes to planning controls introduced in December 2024 by the NSW Government. Vacant buildings can be repurposed for temporary or crisis accommodation for those in need more quickly, without the need for a development application.
Another example of a ‘Meanwhile Use’ property in action is the former Adina Apartment Hotel near Central Station, that became a pop-up community housing facility for up to 50 young people and migrants, providing more than 33,000 nights’ accommodation since the initiative was offered.
This initiative sees the partnership between the developer TOGA Group, Atlassian and real estate group Dexus, with not-for-profit organisation My Foundations Youth Housing (MFYH). The building is an interim housing solution while awaiting approval for redevelopment as part of a new technology and innovation precinct in Sydney.
