Like many Australians today, Kylie longed for a place where her family could call home. Moving to Melbourne with her sons and their father was challenging from the get-go.
“Quite often we find ourselves in situations and circumstances beyond our control –and it’s not for a lack of trying.” Kylie says, reflecting on her journey.
When a relationship breaks down, usually someone moves out. But in Australia’s worsening housing landscape, brewing and boiling over the last two decades, many couples face a uniquely challenging situation – being unable to afford to physically separate.
Neither Kylie or her former partner could afford to enter the rental market alone. They co-habituated for about a year and a half, during which the unthinkable happened: their son was diagnosed with leukaemia.
“His illness changed my whole landscape, I couldn’t work full time for a few years which then affected my capacity to get an affordable rental, and so the story went.”
Fast-forward a few years and, thankfully, Kylie’s son made it to full remission. But their housing stress continued in the private market with several relocations during that time.
“I can honestly say, if I’d had co-op housing back then, it would’ve been an almighty relief having that security. But instead, I was worrying about my son and about how I was going to make ends meet.”
Waitlisted on the Victorian housing register for five years at this point, Kylie and her two sons lived in a constant state of uncertainty.
“We were about to get evicted from our property – we signed a two-year lease, and then the landlord decided to sell the house after a year. It was our fourth move since relocating to Melbourne in 2013.” Kylie says.
With a background in painting both film sets and houses, Kylie had often offered her skills as an added incentive when applying for private rentals. With so many properties out of reach on a single income, this extra effort had become increasingly essential to securing a rental and keeping a roof over her family’s head.
Around the same time, Kylie was contracted to paint a property at the inner-north Merri Co-op. While working, she had the chance to meet some of the co-op’s members — people who would soon become her co-op community.
It just so happened there was an opening coming up, and with Kylie’s skillset she was an excellent fit. The timing couldn’t have been better, with their eviction notice creeping up.
“When you’re in the private market, there’s a looming sense that someone’s looking over your shoulder – you always feel like you’re living in someone else’s house. I don’t feel that here at all.”
Now, Kylie and her boys have been living at their Merri Co-op home for just over a year.
“There’s this saying, ‘a house is just a building, but a home is a feeling’, and I think that’s what you get when you live in a co-op. You have the autonomy to have a home.”
Community had always been important to Kylie, and even though Merri Co-op isn’t all in one area, she feels connected to her fellow members. A WhatsApp group for the committee, and the wider co-op keeps people connected and across what jobs need to be done.
“I really love the idea that I get to have this home, and in exchange I give back to our community and our co-op.”
On the maintenance committee, Kylie has enjoyed the responsibility and collaboration, saying it’s rewarding being able to make a change.
“We’ve made it a priority on the committee to make sure that all those little things are getting fixed, like the leaking taps that you can turn a blind eye to. Those are the things that can cost us more down the track and that’s not a good business model.”
Not only has Kylie put down metaphorical roots, but real ones too. Planted in the back patio, looking out to the Merri Creek, are several young eucalyptus and banksia trees – a testament to the home she’s created, and the autonomy that’s fostered from living in a co-operative.
