BBRV SuPPORTS JEWISH SENIORS IN RENTAL STRESS

BBRV is the largest provider of affordable independent housing for Jewish Seniors in Australia operating since the 1960s.  BBRV currently controls two villages: Princess Gardens in Rose Bay and Kadimah Gardens in Wahroonga.

BBRV’s attention has been increasingly focused on assisting Jewish seniors living in rental stress through the provision of truly affordable and secure quality residential housing.

Rental stress occurs where the rent paid for residential accommodation takes up the majority of personal income leaving insufficient money to pay for even the most basic necessities of life, such as food, heating and medicine.

This situation is particularly prevalent in seniors with limited incomes who in many cases are forced to live in sub-standard accommodation such as basements, spare rooms and boarding houses with shared amenities.

Many of the Jewish Seniors suffering rental stress are pensioners while others like many of our parents were, recent arrivals with limited resources and family support, coming to Sydney in search of a better more secure life.

The consequences of property owners seeking to cash in on the recent Sydney property boom has seen many of our older residents being leveraged out of their long term residences, while others, struggling with unsustainable rental costs were forced to cut back on basic daily necessities.

Spiralling levels of enquiry over the last several years has led the BBRV Board to both significantly increase accessibility to accommodation and the level of financial support provided to Jewish Seniors in rental stress.

This support is delivered in the form of rental rebates with those assessed as requiring support  paying no more to live in BBRV villages than they would if they were housed in Public or Community housing.

In 2016 around 30% of the BBRV community received some level of support.  In recognition of the many Jewish Seniors seeking assistance the BBRV Board had in 2016 voted to increase support to $160,000 per annum.

In keeping with our mission BBRV will continue to support vulnerable Jewish seniors in our community through the provision of truly affordable independent residential accommodation.

Regards
 
Henry Wirth
Chairman
B'nai B’rith Retirement Villages Ltd

BBRV Website