Communal house concept helps single parents

Melanie Rex has realised a 10-year dream by opening a shared home for single parents. Photo / Andrew Warner

It's not easy being a single parent. That is why Tauranga's Melanie Rex has set up a shared living environment especially for single parents, named Share 2 Care.

The Judea house she has been refurbishing has eight bedrooms, with a giant shared living space, giving single parents the option to share resources with others in the same situation they face.

"When I had my first child, I had post-natal depression.

"I spent a lot of time at a day drop-in centre in Hamilton, it was probably one of the biggest impacts on me," Mrs Rex said.

"I think single parents get the hardest job.

"I had a supportive husband at the time and to do it without a supportive partner would have been so, so hard.

"This is something I've always wanted to do."

Having a group of single parents together in one house would mean there would be support available.

"The financial pressure on single parents is so strong, they are stretched for every dollar. We're providing everything to be shared between the four parents, it's not as expensive when you can share things."

The house is set up with a central kitchen dining and living area. At each end of the house are four bedrooms and a bathroom.

The living areas were all furnished with everything from fridge freezers to teaspoons and a tenant only had to set up their own bedrooms.

Mrs Rex's husband is in the process of building conjoining doors between sets of two bedrooms, so the parent can keep an eye on their child.

The house has been set up for parents with children in the 0 to 5 age group, with high chairs, changing tables and safety fences set up throughout the house.

"I'm feeling really pleased about being able to turn this into a reality.

"Everyone I've spoken to about it has been really supportive and there has been a fantastic response online. We've had 900 views on Trade Me in 48 hours and I've been getting phone calls all day."

Each set of rooms would cost between $240 and $270 per week. Mrs Rex said any profits from rent would be used towards building further shared homes for single parents and she was thinking about setting up another Share 2 Care home for parents with school-aged children.

She hoped to have set another home up by January.

The only strict rule that would be enforced at the home would be no partners staying, mainly for the security of the other tenants.

She expected the parents staying at the home would bring in their own rules, as that usually happened in a shared situation.

"I come from a background of managing properties and I've always found that single parents are really responsible."

What do you think?
Have your say below or email editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz, go to our facebook page, text 021 241 4568 BOP (message) or write to Private Bag 12002.
Response may be published.