The thought of being forced to sleep overnight in a parked car never seemed like a possibility to 72-year-old April.

Key points: Research indicates next wave of homelessness will be older women

Research indicates next wave of homelessness will be older women Call for deeper subsidies for affordable rental accommodation for older women

Call for deeper subsidies for affordable rental accommodation for older women Among 20 recommendations made by YWCA Canberra ahead of ACT election

But in 2009, the beauty therapist and former school art teacher was forced to seek refuge in a Canberra car park for several nights.

"It wasn't very comfortable because I have a small car," she said.

Fortunately April, who chose not to disclose her surname, secured long term safe and subsidised group accommodation at Canberra's Betty Searle House the following month.

And she has lived there ever since.

"I was very excited because I really needed accommodation very urgently," April said.

"I said 'please give me the room, I don't care which room, but a room over my head!'

"It is great living here, we all get along well and we all make dishes and share with each other."

The facility provides safe, affordable housing for up to eight women aged over 55 capable of living independently.

Residents at the YWCA Canberra-run centre may have experienced redundancy, divorce, family breakdown, domestic and family violence or health issues.

"If I couldn't have got in here then I would have probably had to go and look for accommodation like a motel," April said.

"It would be expensive, but that would be my plan."

In addition to the aged pension, April earns up to $28,000 a year from casual weekend work in Canberra salons.

She pays $292 per fortnight to stay at Betty Searle House, and uses some of the rest of her income to save for future aged care.

"This is much cheaper than market value, rents are quite high and expensive at the moment at around $400-$500 a week," April said.

"There are not many places like this with reasonable rent and good living."

'Tsunami' of older women facing homelessness

The centre's management said older women were more vulnerable to homelessness.

"Unfortunately, we know that April's story is not a one off," YWCA Canberra executive director Frances Crimmins said.

Recent research has further highlighted the gendered nature of housing vulnerability in Canberra.

ACT Shelter found that in 2011 there were 11,431 women and 7,356 men over the age of 45 on low to medium incomes who did not own their on home.

"The current research tells us that the next wave of homelessness will be older women," Ms Crimmins said.

"An academic recently described it as a 'tsunami' of older women facing homelessness in Canberra and in Australia."

YWCA wish list for ACT election

Deeper subsidies for older women's affordable rental accommodation are among 20 recommendations made by YWCA Canberra in a report titled 'Every woman, every child, every day'.

April wants more women to have access to supports like Canberra's Betty Searle House. ( ABC News: Adrienne Francis )

The wish list of policies and initiatives will be launched this morning by the non-for-profit ahead of the ACT election.

"We need to see an increase in the provision of safe, affordable, single unit housing for single women in Canberra of all ages," Ms Crimmins said.

"Older women and young women are the most particularly vulnerable cohort to homelessness in Canberra."

As someone with first-hand experience, April agreed there needed to be a lift in availability and access to services for older women.

"I would like the government to pay more attention to the people on lower incomes who are finding it very tough going in Canberra," she said.

"We would like to see an improvement in the availability of housing for people who are getting older and whose income is reduced."

YWCA Canberra operates two other residential facilities for women on low to middle incomes.

A total of 15 women are catered for across the three facilities.