Boarding Houses

Our boarding houses provide a safe and secure place to live for single people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Unity Housing has four boarding houses with a variety of different room types. Some rooms have their own kitchenette and/or bathroom.

Our boarding houses give people a chance to learn to live independently and prepare for moving into longer term housing.

Unity Housing has four boarding houses located in the city of Adelaide:

  • The Terrace is a mixed gender site with 95 rooms (staffed 24/7)
  • Citi Hall is a male-only site with six (6) rooms
  • Gilles Lodge is a female-only site with 11 rooms
  • Hurtle Square is a female-only site with five (5) rooms

We work closely with our support partner agencies to help build successful tenancies. Boarding house tenants can also access both in-house and community-based support including:

  • financial counselling
  • legal assistance
  • recreation and leisure activities
  • cooking and nutrition, and
  • health management.

Click here to read our brochure Unity’s Boarding Houses.

Click here to read the Guidelines for Living in Unity Boarding House Accommodation.

Am I eligible for boarding house accommodation?

To be eligible you must:

  • Be 18 years of age or over
  • Be a low income earner (proof of income required)
  • Be able to live independently (and be linked with supports)
  • Have the ability and commitment to comply with the lease and Boarding House Guidelines for Living

Our boarding houses do not provide emergency and crisis accommodation or case management services.

How to apply for boarding house accommodation

Unity Housing does not take self-referrals from the public.  All applicants must be referred by a support agency or homelessness support service with which they are a client.

Agencies are notified of vacancies and the support agency can submit referrals.

We have a clear and fair allocation process that takes the needs of individuals into account.

The process of assessing a referral will include an interview to determine the applicants suitability for boarding house accommodation.

If approved and offered accommodation, a two-week bond and one weeks rent in advance will need to be paid.  Rental payments will need to remain in advance for the duration of the tenancy.  South Australian Housing Authority may help with this.

What happens next?

If approved, your application will go on the waiting list. We will contact you if a suitable vacancy becomes available.

Mark shares his story about his experience as a Unity Housing tenant: