When the doors opened at Jewish House’s newest property in Ashfield, it didn't just mark another building on the map, it represented over 36,000 safe nights a year for people who might otherwise have nowhere to turn.
Part of the new Inner West Project, the largest ‘meanwhile use’ housing initiative in the Southern Hemisphere, this landmark development transforms an under-utilised Ashfield site into a safe and supported community for more than 100 adults and children experiencing homelessness every night.
Turning Empty Buildings into Hope
The ‘meanwhile use’ model, pioneered by project partners TOGA Group, Women’s Community Shelters, Housing All Australians, and Jewish House, is simple yet transformative: activate vacant buildings for community good while long-term redevelopment plans take shape.
At the Ashfield site, multiple buildings across 8,000 square metres have been reimagined into warm, welcoming homes. What was once idle space now provides more than 50 rooms for men experiencing or at risk of homelessness, operated by Jewish House, alongside accommodation for women, children, and transgender people led by Women’s Community Shelters.
It’s a model built on urgency and compassion; and one that reflects Jewish House’s belief that no one should have to face crisis alone.
More Than a Bed: The Jewish House Approach
For Jewish House, the Ashfield property is not just about providing a roof, but about creating a real pathway forward. Each resident will have access to wraparound supports that help them regain stability and independence, from counselling and case management to employment and life-skills programs.
As CEO Rabbi Mendel Kastel OAM explains, the focus is on early intervention and dignity: “Every night, too many people in NSW face the prospect of sleeping rough or without safety. The Inner West Project gives men at risk of homelessness a chance to reset their lives with dignity and the right support. By intervening early, we can help men avoid the downward spiral into crisis and rebuild pathways to independence.”
This human-centred model echoes what Jewish House delivers at its other Sydney properties, including its Bondi headquarters, where people in crisis can access 24/7 support, emergency accommodation, and tailored recovery plans.
With Ashfield joining the network, Jewish House now extends its reach further west, expanding the organisation’s capacity to respond where the need is greatest.
A Collaboration That Works
The scale and speed of the Inner West Project were only possible through deep collaboration. TOGA Group donated the land and buildings and committed to a $1 meanwhile-use lease for at least two years. Women’s Community Shelters and Jewish House are providing frontline accommodation and support, while Housing All Australians has mobilised pro bono business expertise and materials from across the corporate sector.
Construction company FDC Fitout & Refurbishment contributed more than $170,000 in works and volunteer hours, and Temple & Webster provided furniture and furnishings to help make each room feel like home.
From ReLove and Habitat for Humanity to Comlink Solutions, Dulux, Charter Hall, ING Bank, and Flower Power, the list of community partners is long, but their shared motivation is the same: to create spaces that feel safe, dignified, and hopeful.
This collective spirit has turned a group of empty buildings into something much bigger — a living example of what can happen when private, government, and community sectors unite with purpose.
Responding to Urgent Need
The new Ashfield site opens at a critical moment. Across Australia, more than 280,000 people sought homelessness support services last year, but 72,000 were turned away due to lack of space. Rising rents and domestic violence continue to push more families into crisis.
For Jewish House, these statistics are not just numbers. They’re daily realities for the people who walk through their doors. The Inner West Project strengthens the safety net, not only increasing capacity, but doing so in a way that preserves dignity, privacy, and connection.
By offering self-contained accommodation with kitchen and laundry facilities, residents can begin to re-establish routine and independence from day one. For many, this stability is the first step toward long-term recovery.
A Testament to Growth and Vision
The Ashfield opening builds on Jewish House’s steady growth over recent years, and represents a major expansion in scale and ambition.It also signals what’s next for crisis care in Australia: creative, collaborative, and community-driven housing that addresses immediate need while looking to long-term solutions.
The Inner West Project’s long-term redevelopment plan, which is led by TOGA Group, includes the creation of permanent housing and a pioneering mental-health campus operated by TOGA Health. It’s a vision that perfectly aligns with Jewish House’s own mission to blend immediate relief with sustainable recovery pathways.
A Shared Commitment to Dignity
Projects like this remind us that solving homelessness is not just about infrastructure. It’s about people; their stories, their courage, and their right to safety and respect.
As one of the project’s founding partners, Jewish House continues to lead by example: responding quickly, compassionately, and creatively to some of the toughest challenges facing our community.
“When people feel safe,” Rabbi Kastel often says, “they can start to heal, to rebuild, and to hope again. That’s the heart of what we do.”
With the Ashfield property now open, Jewish House stands ready to deliver on that promise for hundreds more people each year - offering not just a place to stay, but a place to start over.
If you or someone you know needs support, Jewish House offers 24/7 crisis assistance on 1300 544 357.
To learn more about our services here.
