“I’ve lived here for about 15 years,” Donna said. “But when the kids came to live with me, we just didn’t have the space we needed.”

With extra family members under one roof, everyday life became challenging. Bedrooms were shared, furniture spilled into living areas, and Donna found herself sleeping in the lounge room.

“There were arguments, and everyone was tripping over each other,” she said. “I even had wardrobes and drawers in the kitchen and lounge room. My home didn’t feel like a home anymore.”

The installation of a one-bedroom backyard unit through Homes Tasmania’s Backyard Units program has made a world of difference. The self-contained unit provides extra space, privacy and breathing room for the whole family.

“It’s just been amazing,” Donna said. “Now everyone has their own space, and the house feels calm. It’s neat, it’s organised, and it feels like a home again.”

The extra room has also had a positive impact on family life and wellbeing.

“Things are so much more relaxed now,” she said. “There’s less stress, less arguing, and we can just enjoy being together.”

Donna said the backyard unit solution allowed her family to stay connected in the same neighbourhood, without the disruption of moving.

“I’m really grateful,” she said. “This unit has changed our lives. It’s given us space and comfort and I’m just really thankful.”

Backyard units are a type of social housing that is available to large households with young family members aged between 15 and 25.

The units are helping families like Donna’s stay together safely and securely, providing practical housing solutions that make a real difference to people’s lives.

Read more in the Backyard units policy (PDF 137.4 KB).