What is SDA?

Specialist disability accommodation

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports housing options for people with disability to allow them to have more choice and control of where they live, how they live and with whom they live.

Specialist disability accommodation (SDA) offers a range of housing designed for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs to to enable them to live more independently and receive the support they need.

SDA dwellings have accessible features to help residents live more independently and allow other supports to be delivered better or more safely. An SDA property might have wide doorways, a hoist in the bedroom or bathroom, strong walls and windows that won’t get damaged easily or assistive technology.

Not all National Disability Insurance Scheme participants are eligible for SDA. To be eligible, a person must:

have an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs
meet the specialist disability accommodation needs requirement and the NDIS funding criteria

NDIS provides funding through a participant’s plan and the participant, often with additional support such as a support coordinator, then finds and applies for the SDA option that best suits their needs.

SDA funding in participant plans is used for housing, not services or supports.

SDA funding is paid directly to SDA providers to cover the building and maintenance costs. Participants pay a reasonable rent contribution and other day to day living costs such as electricity bills.

Specialist disability accommodation design categories

There are four design categories for SDA

Improved Liveability

Housing with better physical access. It also has more features for people with sensory, intellectual or cognitive impairments. For example, you may need walls and floors that are very easy to see, living areas that mean your support workers can see you easily, or very few stairs in your home.

Fully Accessible

Housing with a high level of physical access features for people who have lots of physical challenges. For example, you need to use a manual or powered wheelchair at home, or can’t use steps.

Robust

Housing that is very strong and durable, reducing the need for repairs and maintenance. The way it is built should make it safe for you and others. This type of design category may suit people who need help managing complex and challenging behaviours. We think about how often you currently cause property damage, and the extent of the damage.

High Physical Support

Housing that includes a high level of physical access for people who need very high levels of support. For example, you may need a ceiling hoist, backup power supply, or home automation and communication technology.

Note: Liverty Housing provides only three of the four design categories – improved liveability (IL), fully accessible (FA) and high physical support (HPS).