Tiny House, Big Impact auction for needy family
Friday, 8 November 2019: A 'tiny house' is taking on the 'big house' auction market tomorrow (Saturday) to help put a single mother and her three children into a much-needed home.
Habitat for Humanity Victoria (HFHV) will be auctioning off its first 'tiny house' at 12 noon (Saturday 9th November) at its Op Shop, ReStore, l2/128 Canterbury Road, Kilsyth South.
The modern, contemporary two-level, one-bedroom house is suitable for families, home savers, bungalow, business, rentals and can be taken anywhere on a trailer.
The house will be attracting bids from $30,000. Once sold, all funds will go to building a house for single mother Tracey and her three children by Habitat for Humanity Victoria, a non-profit charity fund which builds homes for families in need both in Victoria and worldwide.
Australia's affordable housing sector is currently in a 'crisis' situation, with nearly 500,000 Australians on government income support living in severe housing stress, paying more than 30 percent of their income in rent. Of these people, over one-third are paying more than half their income in rent.
For Tracey and her three boys the dream of owning a home was always just that – a dream.
Her current housing situation in private rental accommodation is inadequate, with no prospect of being able to purchase her own home. The situation is made particularly difficult because the youngest child, Joshua has severe disabilities. Joshua (13) has cerebral palsy, a physical disability that affects his movement and posture and he requires full time care.
Josh requires a home with modifications, such as larger hallways, door entries, appropriate bathroom facilities and wheelchair accessible entrances. All of these modifications will help provide him with increased independence as he gets older and will also help to decrease the burden for long-term care on the family.
"Our greatest wish is to be able to settle down in a home that would serve his current and future needs, as well as the needs of the rest of our family," said Tracey. "It will be marvellous to have space and to hang family pictures on the wall, have a veggie garden, and finally get a family pet."
The family's new home will begin to be built at HFHV's major affordable housing project in Yea later this year.
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