After escaping a violent relationship, Kiran eventually found stable accommodation. (Supplied: YWCA Australia)
In short:
A newly opened $15.7 million affordable housing development in Adelaide's CBD will prioritise survivors of family and domestic violence.
The seven-storey building has 24 apartments which will all be offered as long-term rental accommodation at 75 per cent of the market rate.
What's next?
The not-for-profit behind the development says there is an urgent need for such projects "not just here in Adelaide", but across the country.
When Kiran (not her real name) left a violent relationship, she became homeless and her life was chaotic.
"I became homeless," she said.Â
"I didn't have any money to buy my own food…
"Then I decided, everything in my life is going wrong but I can't take this on me, so I decided I am going to advocate for myself and I am going to make change in my life."
Kiran said she got support, but still spent the better part of two years in insecure housing, at one point living in eight different houses in the space of one year.
She eventually found stable accommodation in public housing, and said that was the moment she started to get her life back together.
"I was able to think. I was able to cook food at home. I was able to sleep peacefully and my basic needs were met after I found safe shelter,"
she said.
"I started studying again. Now I'm doing my masters in counselling.
"I did secure a stable job and I am working full-time now, so I noticed that it all happened after I found a safe house."
Kiran was speaking at the opening of a new affordable housing development in Adelaide's CBD, a development she hopes will help many more women in her situation.
Inside the $15.7 million housing development in Adelaide. (Supplied: Brad Griffin Photography)
The seven-storey building has 24 apartments which will all be offered as long-term rental accommodation at 75 per cent of the market rate.
Not-for-profit organisation YWCA is behind the $15.7 million development, and said people must pass income tests to qualify for a lease, with the organisation planning to prioritise survivors of family and domestic violence.
"We know women have very specific needs for safe and secure housing," YWCA board chair Helen Conway said.
"That's a very big need not just here in Adelaide [but] right across the country so, that is something that we see as a burning need at the moment."
Ms Conway said the apartment building bridges a gap for people who don't qualify for public housing but can't find affordable accommodation in the private market.
"Most of these women who are on, what I might describe as essential services type salaries," she said.
"They can't afford market rent but they don't also qualify for social housing so there's this gap."
The SA government said the housing project would create affordable and secure long-term accommodation for survivors of family and domestic violence. (Supplied: Brad Griffin Photography)
The building was helped with a $5 million no interest loan from the South Australian government.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said it was a different approach to affordable housing in the state.
"Normally, when people think of affordable housing or housing that's enjoyed government support, they picture sort of low-roofed, high-density environments in outer suburban Adelaide," he said.
"To be able to achieve a high-quality high rise development in the CBD, I think is a good outcome."
Kiran is hopeful projects like this will help many more women like her get their lives back on track.
"These 24 houses, it will help more than 24 families,"
she said.
"Once I think women there build their life, they want to move out, they want to free this space for other people and then other people get in and rebuild their life."