Single mothers in Japan are being provided with a safe and stable home to live in, thanks to an innovative project that utilises some of the millions of vacant properties in the country. It can be hard for single mothers to find an affordable place to live because it is difficult for women to work after having children in Japan and they are often assumed to be financially unstable. Social stigma, lack of economic opportunities and sky-high living costs in cities like Tokyo mean the majority of single mothers and their children live below the poverty line.
Little Ones – a non-profit organisation established in 2008 to support the rising number of single parent families – works with property owners, estate agents and local government to acquire empty or abandoned homes. These account for 14 per cent of Japan’s total housing stock and are considered a huge problem. The properties are renovated using government subsidies and rented out to single mothers at discounted rates.
The project has received national recognition for its work to eliminate housing poverty and has been identified as best practice in the management of Japan’s vacant properties. Since 2013, Little Ones has housed more than 200 single mothers using this approach, turning problematic abandoned houses into much-needed homes for a vulnerable group of women and children.
