Project: CORONATION PROPERTY
What if a vacant house on a development site could become a home for a family who had nowhere to go?
Background
Within a Coronation Property development site, a vacant residential property was given a vital temporary purpose. Through a meanwhile use arrangement, Coronation leased the home to Habitat for Humanity Australia, a Tier 3 Community Housing Provider dedicated to delivering secure, affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness and domestic violence. From December 2024, the refurbished home became safe transitional accommodation for families in crisis, providing a real roof, wraparound support, and the chance to rebuild.
Challenge
Australia’s housing crisis falls hardest on those with the least. Women and children escaping domestic violence often leave crisis accommodation with nowhere to go. This reality is a result of extensive waitlists for social and affordable housing and the private rental market presenting barriers such as cost and the need for rental references Meanwhile, vacant properties on development sites sit idle for months or years, waiting for long-term plans to materialise.
Habitat for Humanity recognised a critical gap: the need for rapid, dignified transitional housing that could be delivered quickly, cost-effectively, and in partnership with property owners willing to use their idle assets for good.
Solution
A vacant residential property on a redevelopment site was refurbished and leased to Habitat for Humanity at peppercorn rent, providing safe transitional accommodation for families escaping homelessness and domestic violence, turning idle land into an immediate, life-changing community resource.
”The tenant is super excited and grateful to have her own place with son as she has been homeless for the past 3.5 years, and just in time for Christmas. Amazing work team.”
Mel, Family Support Worker, AWCCS
Impact
Catalytic – The Coronation House project established a replicable model for rapidly and cost-effectively delivering Meanwhile Use housing. By combining Coronation’s vacant property, Habitat for Humanity’s operational expertise as a Community Housing Provider, Aboriginal Women and Children’s Crisis Service as the Social Services Organisation and in-kind support from corporate partners including Hilti and James Hardie, the project demonstrated how cross-sector collaboration can move from concept to keys in just under twelve weeks — a blueprint for scaling meanwhile use housing across Sydney
Transformational – For the five families housed to date, the impact is profound and immediate. One tenant, homeless for 3.5 years, moved in just before Christmas — her own home for her and son for the first time in years. As her family support worker Mel from AWCCS reflected: “The tenant is super excited and grateful to have her own place with her son as she has been homeless for the past 3.5yrs, and just in time for Christmas. Amazing work team.” Safety, stability, and the possibility of a fresh star, delivered through a vacant house.
Collaborative – The project wove together Coronation Property as the landholder, Habitat for Humanity as the Community Housing Provider, the Aboriginal Women and Children’s Crisis Service (AWCCS) as the Social Services Organisation, and a network of corporate partners, each contributing something the others could not. The added benefit of this model is that the Habitat Women’s social enterprise undertook refurbishment training and returned as volunteers to get the home ready in time.
Amplified – Beyond the families directly housed, the project provided employment and on-the-job training for Habitat Women students, activated an otherwise vacant site, and reduced the risk of deterioration on idle property. With 1,095 bed nights provided per year and Coronation firmly advocating for meanwhile use, the project has helped shift the conversation about what responsible property development looks like during the long gaps between approval and construction.
Results
Since December 2024, the Coronation House meanwhile use home has housed five families, delivering 1,095 bed nights of safe transitional accommodation per year for people escaping homelessness and domestic violence. Refurbished in just six weeks through in-kind corporate support and volunteer labour, it stands as proof that vacant residential properties can be activated quickly, cost-effectively, and with lasting impact for those who need it most.
