The Priority Project
A pathway to safe, secure housing
A proven model helping women and their children experiencing domestic and family violence (FDV) to access safe, secure housing in the private rental market.
The Priority Project (TPP) works by connecting:
Women seeking safety
Women and their children who are experiencing FDV are supported to access safe, stable housing.
Support services
Homelessness & FDV services refer women to The Priority Project and support them to prepare for life in their new home.
Real estate partners
Real estate agencies & landlords work with us to offer rentals to the women, by prioritising their applications.
A proven, scalable model
A partnership-based model that delivers strong outcomes and can be adapted and expanded across different communities.
Why is The Priority Project needed?
Family and domestic violence (FDV) is a leading driver of homelessness, with 66% of people accessing homelessness support services having experienced violence.
Barriers to accessing a private rental
Many FDV victim/survivors face difficulties when they seek a private rental home due to:
- Urgent need to relocate
- Limited or disrupted rental history
- Negative rental histories resulting from the actions of perpetrators, (eg property damage), where responsibility was incorrectly assigned to the victim-survivor.
- Financial pressures
- Stigma from real estate agents/landlords that they're "risky-tenants"
Risks of not having stable housing
Without stable housing, women may:
- Cycle through crisis accommodation
- Return to live with the perpetrator
- End up sleeping in cars, on the streets or in other unsafe places
- Have their children removed from stable education like child care, prep, primary or high school whilst they navigate crisis or rough sleeping options.
A co-designed solution for safe, stable housing
TPP was co-designed by Mission Australia and The Salvation Army with FDV victim/survivors and sector contributors. By opening access to private rentals, The Priority Project helps women and their children with FDV experiences to find safe, stable homes.
Evidence shows that, with help through The Priority Project, 91% of women maintain their tenancies – they are good stable tenants.
Our impact
The Priority Project is delivering measurable outcomes for women and children experiencing domestic and family violence, creating safer pathways into stable housing, and reducing pressure on crisis systems.
67
Women supported into safe housing1
111
Children supported into safe housing1
$600,000+
Annual system savings2
1Combined pilot outcomes from The Priority Project evaluations in South East Queensland (October 2023–December 2024) and Western Sydney (July 2024–February 2025)
2Economic value analysis from the Queensland pilot evaluation (October 2023-December 2024). Based on housing outcomes for 23 women and 49 dependents, with estimated annual savings across housing, healthcare and child-related outcomes of $612,873.
Success of the model
The Priority Project has already been piloted in two locations, independently evaluated in Western Sydney, South East Queensland, and is rolling out in a third location. What we have learnt is encouraging: the program delivers strong outcomes for women, children and the broader community.
For women and children:
- Move into safe, stable homes more quickly
- Begin healing and recovery
- Rebuild confidence and independence
- Create stability to help children engage with education
- Stay out of unsafe situations
- Re-creation of a rental history in the mum’s name.
For the broader community:
- Reduces pressure on crisis services
- Strengthens partnerships across sectors
- Improves understanding of FDV in the rental market
- Creates economic value by reducing long-term costs across housing, health and social services
- Increases individuals’ stability and thus productivity and social cohesion
How the model works
The Priority Project is delivered through a partnership-based service model that brings together support service and the private rental sector to create coordinated pathways for women and children experiencing FDV into safe, secure housing.
The Priority Project service model works by:
- Engaging the private rental sector: building relationships with real estate agencies and landlords to prioritise access to rental properties for women experiencing FDV.
- Coordinating service support: ensuring women are referred, prepared, and supported throughout the process to find a new home and sustain their tenancies.
- Providing brokerage where needed: it may contribute to covering the cost of changing locks, a holding deposit or other essentials involved with the new tenancy.
- Offering to provide participants with ongoing support - if they seek and need that - including connecting women with a case manager. This critical element of the model underpins landlord confidence and enables women to stay stably housed.
The model is delivered by a small, dedicated team working alongside referring services and real estate partners. Their work includes brokering partnerships with real estate agencies, accepting referrals, assisting women to apply for properties, and linking them in with any other support they may need. Ongoing case management can be delivered by either the Priority Project delivery organisation, or by a separate homelessness or FDV service. This integrated service model ensures participants can both secure and sustain their tenancy.
You can engage with the Priority Project in three key ways:
- Support existing sites: provide funding to sustain current delivery in Southeast Queensland and Western Sydney
- Partner to expand the model: work with Mission Australia and The Salvation Army to establish new TPP sites in additional locations
- Adopt or implement the model: access the TPP service model, tools and resources and deliver the model within your own organisation or region
Real estate partners play a critical role in helping women and their children experiencing FDV to find and move into their new home.
What they do:
- Work with TPP Partnership Brokers to understand the program
- Offer rental properties to the TPP network
- Prioritise applications from eligible women
- Continue standard application and approval processes
Why it works:
- There are no changes needed to the application process
- TPP provides additional context and support
- Case management offers reassurance to property manager
As one property manager noted:
“[The Priority Project] gets them to the front of the line…it gives them an opportunity to be seen”.
Learn more: https://youtu.be/MKmI6D7yejo?si=Yair4UylkYeilJmw
Homelessness and FDV services can refer women to The Priority Project to help them find housing and provide them with support before, during and after finding a rental property.
Support staff in those services work directly with women, if requested and needed, to:
- Identify and refer eligible women
- Support rental applications
- Offer to provide ongoing case management
- Help women settle into housing and connect with other services
- Build their ability to make a rental application, understand and complete tenancy agreements and navigate other parts of the process
- Settle into their new homes, including accessing local supports (eg furniture donations) and community connections
- Link women to other services, such as to build their readiness and skills in tenancy sustainment, property care, etc.
This wrap-around support is key to successful housing outcomes.
Click the location to review the independently evaluated pilot programs:
The Priority Project focuses on sustaining tenancies, not just securing housing.
How sustainability/stability is supported, if requested and needed:
- Partnerships Brokers upskill women in rental processes
- Ongoing case management tailored to individual needs
- Practical support to maintain the tenancy
- Assistance with settling into the community
The evidence from the current Priority Project sites in Queensland and Greater Western Sydney show that:
- 91% of women maintained their tenancies
- 89% of women chose to continue receiving support after being housed
Managing risk
- TPP brokerage funds can support women to secure and settle in their new home or assist with any security features
- Partnership Brokers maintain relationships with real estate partners
- Case managers provide flexible early support if issues arise
This reduces risk for both tenants and landlords, while improving long-term outcomes.
TPP uses a partnership-led governance model to guide delivery and growth.
TPP governance is partnership-led, with Mission Australia and The Salvation Army providing oversight through a Memorandum of Understanding. A National Guidance Group sets direction, while local partners deliver services. Continuous collaboration, shared accountability, and a Community of Practice support learning, consistency, and improvement. Organisations that implement The Priority Project themselves will participate in the National Guidance Group and the Community of Practice.
Work with us to bring TPP to your community
