The Housing Hub

SDA (Supported Disability Accommodation) is part of an NDIS Plan for people who have very high support needs. It is a contribution to ‘bricks and mortar’ support for people with disability, and is designed to make sure that people with disability can be independent, and have their choice of housing options. With the right supports, NDIS participants with SDA may be able to move out of Residential Aged Care into their own home, leave Shared Supported Accommodation (group homes) to live independently, or leave the family home for the first time.

SDA housing is designed to meet one of five design categories:

1. Basic – housing without special design features but with a location or other features that cater for the needs of people with disability and assist with the delivery of support services
2. Improved liveability – housing that has been designed to improve ‘liveability’. This includes a reasonable level of physical access and some features for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairment
3. Fully accessible – housing with a high level of accessibility for people with significant physical impairment
4. Robust – housing designed with a high level of physical accessibility, and built to be very strong to help prevent damage to the property and reduce the safety risk to the participant and the community
5. High physical support – housing that has been designed to incorporate a high level of physical accessibility for people with significant physical impairment and requiring very high levels of support

The appropriate design category for a participant will be decided by considering the participant’s specific needs.

SDA housing is also allocated to one of five building types:

1. Apartments, which are self-contained units occupying only part of a larger residential building.
2. Duplexes, villas and townhouses, which are separate but semi-attached properties on one piece of land. This also includes extra housing, such as granny flats.
3. Houses, which are detached low-rise dwellings with garden or courtyard areas.
4. Group homes, which are houses that are enrolled (or will be enrolled) to house four or five long-term residents.
5. Larger dwellings, which are enrolled (or will be enrolled) to house more than five long-term residents

Before you can be approved for an SDA support, you must go through the Informing Housing Solutions (previously known as Exploring Housing Options Package) process or already receive SDA payment in your NDIS Plan. The Informing Housing Solutions is an NDIS funded support that provides up to 75 hours of support coordination to assist you to investigate all of the funding options available to you, before you move to the SDA housing. The Informing Housing Solutions includes funding for assessments so that you can determine what you will need for your SDA housing.

For more information about Specialist Disability Accommodation, please visit the NDIS website.