UnitingSA is extremely proud to announce our Ferryden Park Community Housing development has been named the winner of two Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) SA Awards for Excellence.

The innovative community housing provides much-needed homes for women aged 55 and over, who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness in South Australia.

At the Adelaide Convention Centre on Friday night (29 July), the development was named winner of the UDIA SA’s Small Scale Development Award and the Aged Care & Community Housing Award.

UnitingSA CEO Jenny Hall says the dual honour is an incredible achievement, which recognises both the quality of the development and the importance of its community impact.

“We know older women are the fastest growing homeless population in the country and we were inspired to build the Ferryden Park Community Housing development to address this area of significant need,” Jen says.

“Not only does this development provide older women a stable home but it provides access to a range of wrap-around services to support their health and wellbeing.

“We are humbled to receive this recognition by the UDIA SA – it really is testament to what can be achieved when good design meets meaningful outcomes.”

The Ferryden Park Community Housing development – designed by City Collective and constructed by Cook Building – includes eight contemporary two-bedroom houses with open plan living, landscaped gardens and energy efficient features to reduce utility costs for tenants.

A communal undercover outdoor area and shared gardens are located centrally to encourage connection and foster a sense of community among residents.

Jen says the project would not have been possible without the SA Housing Authority (SAHA), which provided a $1 million grant, and members of the local Gospel Mission, who gifted the land.

“A sincere thank you to our project partners, who worked with us over many years to bring our vision to life,” she says.

“This is the prime example of what can be achieved when government and values-based organisations come together to address the needs of our community.

“We hope this collaborative development can be used as a model for future housing responses in South Australia.”

Find out more about the Ferryden Park project and how it came to fruition in this short video