Advocating for Change

Amanda is the “human face” of the Confront the Crisis campaign for more action on the NSW housing affordability crisis. She and her husband Tony, a pioneering Sydney chef, were first housed by us in 2016 when financial ruin and his terminal illness left them at risk of homelessness. In the wake of Tony’s death in 2020, Amanda is even more grateful for a safe, secure and affordable roof over her head at our Exordium Apartments in Zetland. “I know how many homeless people are out there, I know how long the public housing lists are, and I know how lucky I was to be offered an apartment like this. It can happen to anybody in any walk of life.”

Ageing in Place

Ninety-one year-old Huan is City West Housing’s oldest resident and has been a tenant for 27 years. She lives with her daughter Alice in one of our Pyrmont apartments. A mother of seven. Huan and her husband followed their two daughters to Australia after the Tiananmen Square protest in 1989. Huan said, “Having access to affordable housing for my family meant stability and a happy, normal childhood for my grandchildren.” When asked to share her secret for a long life Huan said, “There’s no secret. I think just do lots of exercise, work hard and stay active.”

Rebuilding his life

Brett never thought he would be homeless, but a horrific motorcycle accident would forever change his life. He suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and lost all memory of the crash. Spending months in recovery and learning to walk, talk and eat. “I went from being a skilled technician running a pathology laboratory to being unable to resume work and maintain an income.” Brett’s life had turned upside down. Now living with City West Housing, he can be forgetful, finds it hard to control his mood, and can become overwhelmed when required to use his planning or organisation skills. He played guitar to entertain guests at our Annual Resident Forum in 2022.

Community Hero

Kylie works in the employment sector helping jobseekers return to the workforce, a job to which she is extremely committed. She goes above and beyond to make sure her clients feel supported and have the resources they need to succeed. Kylie also regularly volunteers her time to a range of organisations because she is passionate about community access to services. She facilitates a monthly support group to the improve the wellbeing and mental health of people from the LGBTQAI+ community. Kylie is City West Housing’s 2022 Community Hero Award as part of our Community Impact Awards.

A Passion for Art

Vision has always been passionate about art and found comfort in sketching portraits during tough times when she was a child. Whenever she felt isolated due to challenging situations at home, sketching became a way to tune in to herself and connect with the people she drew. This passion for art grew to become a calming presence in her life.

Currently, Vision is studying law full time at the University of NSW and one day she hopes to work with vulnerable communities in Australia. She also works four days a week at a law firm.

Over the years, Vision has used her talents to create portraits for people to make them happy. She was City West Housing’s 2022 Creative Minds award recipient for our Community Impact Awards.

Young and engaged

Allirah is a 16-year-old high school student who participates in City West activities to contribute positively to others in their building, such as assisting with the communal garden. She works at a local café on weekends and has volunteered at a nearby medical centre. Allirah enjoys all things creative and helping people whenever she can: neighbours, strangers, family and friends. She was presented with City West Housing’s Outstanding Young Person Award in 2022 as part of our Community Impact Awards for her engagement in the local community.