Matrix’s social housing program began in 2008 with an unexpected bequest.
By 2026 it has grown to house eight older lesbians in inner Melbourne, with more on the horizon in rural areas.
Heather’s Flats – the First Bequest
Heather Chapple, a lesbian feminist who loved animals, to dance, to bird watch and to coax vegetable seedlings from the soil, was also an accomplished poet and carpenter. When she died, Heather left $300,000 to Matrix for the purpose of providing affordable rental housing for older, financially disadvantaged lesbians. The Matrix Real Estate Task Group (RETG) formed and began looking for a unit or flat to buy with Heather’s bequest towards the end of 2008.
PHOTO: Heather Chapple – born 10 November 1944 and died 5 October 2007 – provided the first bequest received by Matrix. Her money allowed Matrix to house 3 elderly, financially disadvantaged lesbians in Brunswick.
The Social Housing Funding
Then the federal government announced an unprecedented amount of money would be available for social housing as part of its economic stimulus package. This money would largely be spent via Registered Housing Providers (RHP’s). The RHP needed to provide 25% of the finance and then the Office of Housing (OoH) would foot 75% of the purchase price of newly built accommodation.
The Partnership
Beginning in March 2009, Matrix has partnered with a RHP then called the Victorian Women’s Housing Association (VWHA) to access some of this social housing money. [now rebranded as Women’s Property Initiatives [WPI], is a feminist, non-profit organisation, set up to provide low-cost, long term housing options for women and their children who experience disadvantage. It is run by a voluntary board of skilled women, with several employees and supported by a lot of other women who provide free professional services such as legal, accounting, project management, engineering, construction and design work. Their feminist values and policies compliment those of the Matrix Guild.
Matrix provided the seeding finance, enabling the VWHA to access the remainder of funds from the Office of Housing (OoH). This allowed Matrix to house three times as many lesbians with Heather’s bequest than if we had purchased real estate directly. WPI holds the titles, but Matrix will always select the lesbian tenants. In the unlikely event that the WPI decides to sell these properties, and no suitable substitute property is available, then the Matrix bequest (as a percentage of the sale price) will be refunded. Matrix would then benefit from the growth in the property value. Matrix is very grateful to Jennifer Feeney for her thoughtful, pro bono legal advice.
On 11th September 2009 we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – and on the 30th October 2009 a partnering agreement was sealed with the VWHA to buy three apartments in a new complex in Albert Street, Brunswick.
Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the VWHA
Front Row L to R: Sara Elkas (Public and Financial Officer of Matrix), Anneke Deutsch (Matrix RETG Convenor). Back Row L to R: Jennifer Feeney (Matrix’s Solicitor), Jeanette Large (VWHA’s CEO), Carmel McCormack (Chair of VWHA’s Board)
The Opening
On Wednesday 8th June 2011 the apartments were officially opened at a launch party at the Brunswick Town Hall. The first tenants joined about a hundred other guests (lesbians and our supporters), including Jane Garrett, the State member for Brunswick and Colleen Hartland, a Greens MLC, to celebrate the occasion. This was the first such affordable housing in Australia for older lesbians. We hoped it would be the beginning of many more housing projects and that dream has been realized.
Anneke Deutsch, Housing Convenor of Matrix (left) and Jeanette Large, then CEO of the VWHA opened the housing. June 2011.
Sue Leigh (left) and Anneke Deutsch at the front doors
Housing In Brunswick
Click here to view details of the Brunswick Apartments
The Apartments
Click here to view details of the Brunswick Apartments
Sara’s Flat – the Second Bequest
Sara Elkas, a founding member of Matrix Guild of Victoria and the Jewish Lesbian Group of Victoria, both established in 1992, also left most of her estate to Matrix for housing. Sara took on the roles of Public Officer, Financial Officer and Secretary, doing most of the work to keep Matrix going over many years. She continued as a Matrix Guild office-bearer until her ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2013, but remained an active committee member up until a few of months before she died in 2017. Sara was very proud of her involvement in establishing Heather’s Flats, the first Australian affordable housing initiative specifically for old lesbians. Using her occupational therapy background, she helped to ensure that ‘Heather’s Flats’ incorporated well-designed, universal access.
Three more flats were funded by Sara’s bequest, and called ‘Sara’s Flats’, the fourth by various fundraising efforts by the Matrix Guild, most notably the Lesbian Comedy Gala that ran for 3 years, organised by Anneke Deutsch and Monica Dullard. The fourth Flat was called Anneke’s Flat to recognise Anneke Deutsch’s ongoing efforts to house older lesbians. She has led Matrix’s housing program since 2009 and continues to do so.
Sara Elkas [L] – born 14 December 1949 and died 14 March 2017 – with her partner [now widow], Shoshi
The Social Housing Funding & Partnership
The model that Sara helped establish for Heather’s Flats was replicated for these four apartments. Her bequest provided the seed funding to enable WPI to pay the deposits on four 1-bedroom homes in the thermally efficient, community-focussed, ‘green’ Nightingale Village in Brunswick. Three in the Evergreen building and one in the Skye House building.
Signing the partnering agreement with WPI. L to R: Pat [MG treasurer], Liz, [MG secretary], Lisa Thompson[WPI], Anneke [MG Housing], WPI Board member, Jeanette Large [WPI CEO] & Coleen [MG Chair], March 2020
L – R: Pat Mitchell [MG Treasurer] and Liz Smith [MG Secretary] signing the Partnering Agreement
Sara’s Flats & Anneke’s Flat: Nightingale Village, Brunswick
The buildings were completed in 2022. The 1-bedroom apartments were leased by WPI to four older lesbian tenants at risk of homelessness who pay 30% of their income in rent
Site inspection of Evergreen Building. L to R: Sarah, Trish, [MG committee], Jenny [MG pro-bono solicitor], Coleen [MG Chair] & Anneke [MG Housing] in 2022
The Apartments
The Nightingale Village is a collection of six neighbouring buildings, each designed by a different award-winning architect using the social, environmental and financial sustainability principles of the Nightingale model.
- Fossil fuel-free
- Average 8.1 stars NatHERS rating
- 25.6kW photovoltaic array
- Low embodied energy materials
- Embedded electricity network (100% GreenPower)
- Embedded commercial-grade internet network
- Rainwater collected for common area use and commercial tenancy toilets
- Hydronic heater panels
- Energy efficient heat pump hot water system
- Shared rooftop with veggie patches and communal laundry
- Ample secure bicycle parking, close to public transport and easy access to 10+ car share vehicles at The Village
Anneke [MG Housing ] & Coleen [MG Chair] in 2022
Anneke in July 2022 putting up the door plaques in the Nightingale flats
Sarah June’s Flat – the third Bequest
Sarah June’s Flat – the Third Bequest
A generous donation from Sarah Yeomans allowed Matrix to assist WPI in the purchase of our eighth flat. The same model and partnership with WPI was replicated. A very pleased tenant moved into a lovely, east-facing flat, part of another Nightingale building called Umarkoo Wayi, in Coburg in December 2025.
L to R: Elvyn [MG committee], Anneke [MG housing], Linda [MG Committee] July 2025
Sarah June’s Flat site inspection. L to R: Back row- Nightingale rep, Lucy [WPI], Jeanette [MG committee]; Front row: Anneke [MG Housing], Liz [MG secretary] July 2025
Sarah June’s Flat kitchen, July 2025
Sarah June’s Flat bathroom, July2025
Anneke [MG Housing] with a happy tenant December 2025
Older Women on Cohousing [WINC]
Matrix’s Housing program has seeded another type of housing for older women, with a focus on lesbians. A Housing Forum in May 2017, jointly organised by Matrix and WPI looked at various models of affordable, socially connected housing, including cohousing and alternative co-ownership models drew a crowd of interested women.
This turned out to be the first meeting of the group that became Older Women in Cohousing [WINC] which is now a fully subscribed with planning permission for 31 small, thermally efficient homes. They include four social housing homes, to be owned by WPI, with one to have its tenant selected by Matrix. There are also five affordable homes, tagged to house women in a shared ownership arrangement with WINC. They hope to start construction in 2026.
Some WINC members at a working on their Castlemaine site.
Matrix honours and remembers Annie Fayzdaughter, a Matrix member who left this earth too soon in 2024. Annie’s generous bequest to Matrix has helped fund one of the WINC/WPI’s social housing homes.
Consider Matrix in Your Will
Just as Heather, Sara and Annie have done, you too could make a difference to some of your lesbian sisters who are elderly, perhaps living with a disability and are in a poor financial position. Lesbians who aren’t homeowners, find it almost impossible to afford market rent on the aged or disability pension. The Matrix Guild Housing Consultant, Anneke Deutsch, is always happy to discuss leaving money to Matrix for social housing. Email – housing@matrixguildvic.org.au
Please remember Matrix and her work in providing affordable, secure housing when you make your will. You can stipulate exactly how you’d like the money spent. For bequests, please identify Matrix as: Matrix Guild of Victoria Incorporated; ABN: 13 869 266 126; ACN: A00 260 57B.
If lesbians don’t bequest and donate money to Matrix’s housing projects, who will?
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