Boarding Houses

Our boarding houses provide a safe and secure accommodation entry point for single people who are at risk of homelessness because of a range of factors including family breakdown; unemployment; domestic violence; drug and alcohol misuse; low income and social isolation.

Our four boarding houses range from room-only with shared facilities through to self-contained units with kitchenettes and an ensuite bathroom. They are generally a transitional housing option enabling people to build their capacity and move into more stable and independent accommodation options within the community.

Boarding houses provide an opportunity to build confidence and a sense of wellbeing, participate in community life and further develop independent living skills.

Unity Housing has four boarding houses located in the inner 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 facilitate successful tenancies. Boarding house tenants can access both in-house and community-based support and assistance 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

To apply for boarding house accommodation and be eligible for referral, you will need to be supported and referred by an agency that will provide ongoing case management support throughout your tenancy.

The agency will assist you to complete the application form and submit it to Unity Housing on your behalf.

Prior to a room being offered you will be required to attend an interview to make sure we have all the information we need to work out how we can best accommodate your needs.

Our application form can be downloaded here.

It is important that you keep your contact details up to date so we can get in touch with you if a suitable room becomes available. It is also important that you remain engaged with your support agency, as unsupported applicants will only be considered for housing in exceptional circumstances. Housing is in limited supply, so please ensure you keep exploring all housing options.

What happens next?

If approved, your application will be placed on the waiting list. You will be considered and contacted if a suitable vacancy becomes available.

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