Supporting secure housing: Julie's story
When 73-year-old former beautician Julie moved into her new home in Jimboomba, she felt relief for the first time in years. “I could stop holding my breath,” she said.
After years of rising living costs and the constant fear of homelessness, Julie secured an affordable rental through the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF). Offered at a discounted rent, the home has given her not just security, but peace of mind. “This place is beautiful,” she said. “It’s perfect, it’s my sanctuary.”
Julie spent most of her life on the Gold Coast, including 22 years in a rental home in Bonogin, where she raised her family. As rents surged, her housing costs became unsustainable. “Some weeks I had a dollar left in the bank,” she said. “I was terrified – terrified all the time.”
Watching more people sleep in cars and public parks, Julie feared she would soon have nowhere to go. A small act of kindness - giving $4 to a stranger at Aldi to help pay for groceries - prompted her to search for more affordable options. That search led her to Horizon Housing Realty, Community Housing Limited’s subsidiary and affordable housing property manager.
Through Horizon Housing Realty, Julie was offered an affordable home in South-East Queensland. “From that moment, things started falling into place,” she said. “I’m not religious, but it felt like I had guardian angels.”
Julie’s home is one of 206 HAFF-funding backed homes being delivered in the Logan region by Tetris Capital, with land developed by KDL Properties and construction by Ryse Construction.
Delivered in stages through to mid-2027, completed homes, including Julie’s, are managed by Horizon Housing Realty. Designed to support people most affected by Australia’s housing crisis – including seniors, families, veterans and key workers – the homes range from one to four bedrooms.
Although Julie had to move further away from an elderly relative in residential care, she travels back to the Gold Coast each week to visit. She says the benefits of secure, affordable housing have far outweighed the challenges.
“I don’t miss the anxiety of trying to pay the rent,” she said. Living alone for the first time, Julie says she’s happy. “I can finally breathe again.”