Our SDA
‘We do one thing and we do it best!’
What is Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)?
The goal of SDA is to create a safe and inclusive spaces where individuals with disabilities can live comfortably while still receiving high-quality support to maximise their independence.
SDA aims to break down barriers by providing housing solutions that cater to the diverse needs of individuals with disabilities, fostering a sense of autonomy and dignity in their daily lives.
Our SDA
- We offer SDA for people with ‘Improved Liveability, Robust, Fully Accessible and High Physical Support’ housing needs.
- We believe in flexible support models like Onsite Shared Support (OSS) and promoting tenants ‘choice and control’.
- We provide a range of high-quality housing types that suit the diverse needs of our tenants.
We offer the following Housing Types
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)?
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is purpose-designed housing for eligible NDIS participants with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
SDA homes include specialist design features that can make everyday living safer, more accessible and more independent. Depending on the person’s needs, these may include step-free access, wider circulation spaces, accessible kitchens and bathrooms, ceiling hoist provisions, assistive technology, home automation or more robust building features.
SDA refers to the home itself, not the support services you receive while living there.
Is SDA the same as Supported Independent Living (SIL)?
No. SDA is housing, while SIL is support.
SDA funding relates to the specialist property you live in. Supported Independent Living (SIL) is a separate NDIS support that may help with everyday tasks and personal care within your home.
Depending on your circumstances, you may have both SDA and SIL, but one does not automatically require the other. Your housing and support arrangements should reflect your individual NDIS plan and needs.
Who may be eligible for SDA funding?
SDA may be funded for NDIS participants who have extreme functional impairment or very high support needsand who meet the NDIS SDA funding criteria.
Eligibility is individual. It isn’t simply determined by a diagnosis or by needing accessible housing.
Evidence from relevant professionals can help demonstrate your functional needs, the barriers presented by other housing options and how specialist housing could support your goals and other supports.
If you’re unsure whether SDA could be appropriate, it can be worthwhile starting the conversation early rather than waiting until your current housing situation becomes urgent.
What are the four SDA design categories?
The NDIS has four SDA design categories:
Improved Liveability – housing with enhanced physical accessibility and features particularly relevant to people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairments.
Fully Accessible – housing providing a high level of physical accessibility, including for people who use wheelchairs.
Robust – resilient housing designed with features that help provide a safe environment for the participant and others.
High Physical Support – highly accessible housing for people with significant physical support needs, potentially incorporating features such as ceiling hoists, backup power and home automation or communication technology.
How do I know which type of SDA home is right for me?
We like to start with how you want to live, rather than which properties happen to be vacant.
We recommend thinking about your normal week. Do you want shops and public transport close by? Would you prefer your own front door and quiet outdoor space? Do you enjoy sharing a home with other people? How close do you want to be to family, work, healthcare, activities and your existing community?
An apartment, villa or shared house can each offer a very different lifestyle.
Your accessibility and support requirements are important, but so are location, privacy, independence, community and the kind of home in which you feel comfortable.
Does having SDA funding mean that any SDA vacancy will suit me?
No. An available SDA property isn’t automatically the right SDA property for you.
Your funded design category needs to be considered alongside the property’s building type, location and other characteristics. For shared accommodation, compatibility with the other people living there is also important.
Your existing connections matter too. Family, healthcare, work, day programs, supports and community don’t simply move because an SDA vacancy exists somewhere else.
We know it can be confusing. At AccessAccom, we can help establish whether a property is genuinely suitable before progressing. Often the property people initially enquire about is not the one they end up being interested in.
When should I start exploring SDA?
Earlier than you might think.
Finding the right SDA can involve understanding your housing goals, gathering professional evidence, obtaining an NDIS decision, exploring suitable homes, completing tenancy arrangements and planning your transition.
Starting early gives you more opportunity to make decisions based on what is right for you, rather than simply what happens to be available when your housing situation becomes urgent.
If you, a family member, Support Coordinator or Occupational Therapist think SDA could become relevant in the future, you don’t need to wait for a crisis before starting the conversation.