Your Housing Questions Answered

• What is the MDI NDIS Housing Pathways Project?

  MDI NDIS Housing Pathways Project aims to provide practical resources for individuals and communities to build pathways to access and maintain housing for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants by promoting existing options and encouraging the transfer of proven models around Australia. The project will focus mostly on those not in or eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), “the other 94%” on the basis there is money and skilled operators in the SDA space already. The project is co-funded by the Melbourne Disability Institute at the University of Melbourne (https://disability.unimelb.edu.au/) and the Brotherhood of St Laurence which is a NDIS Local Area Co-ordinator (LAC) in a number of Victorian NDIS areas.

  The project aims to:

  • Identify and review existing information, services and research
  • Produce resources in a variety of formats including digital
  • Distribute the resources to a range of groups commencing with Local Area Co-ordinators
  • Develop and pilot training packages based on the material produced
  • Develop and pilot a community-based methodology to support community understanding and action to house the NDIS participants in their community.
  • Promote research opportunities around NDIS and housing

  The project is being delivered by Joseph Connellan, MDI’s Senior Manager – Housing who has 30 years’ experience in the development and delivery of housing and services to people with disability. He has worked as a consultant in this space for the last ten years through his company, MC Two, and has recently published “Two Hands: Delivering More and Better Housing for Australia’s NDIS” which can be downloaded here.

  If you have a non SDA housing-related question you want answered please email Joseph Connellan, Senior Manager – Housing at the Melbourne Disability Institute joseph.connellan@unimelb.edu.au

• What are the barriers to accessing and maintaining housing for NDIS participants?

  NDIS participants are diverse and will live in diverse settings. They will often confront one or more barriers any one of which can be enough to stop access to housing or to lead to the loss of housing. The barriers include:

  • A lack of information about options and access
  • Prohibitive cost
  • Poorly located or configured properties
  • Inadequate or unresponsive support
  • Lack of robust and engaged housing management

  Housing programs are framed to address one or more of these barriers. For example, a community managed housing project will combine lower rental cost with robust management and often modified properties. The most effective way to identify suitable housing is to first identify what barrier(s) need to be addressed and then what housing options may be available rather than a referral to a disability housing option.

• What types of housing are available for people with a disability?

  NDIS recipients may live any one of seven interconnected housing segments with different models and providers in each segment. The segments are:

  • New Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) with NDIS housing funding is projected to grow by more than 14,000 places but is currently under development
  • Existing SDA often transferred from Government management and may increasing house NDIS participants without SDA
  • Non-SDA Supported Accommodation developed by support providers for NDIS participants with high levels of support funding who do not qualify for SDA
  • Social Housing including public housing, community housing and affordable housing as well as crisis and transitional housing supported by homelessness services
  • Private Rental increasing utilising Co-Residency (lead tenant), Relationships and  Host Family arrangements
  • In Own Home currently growing through family funded housing developments
  • In Family Home often with ageing carers

  

  If NDIS participants are unable to access the most appropriate segment they may be displaced into other segments. For example most NDIS Participants will be eligible for social housing but few are likely access it due to long waiting lists and priority given to people who are homeless.

• What housing options exist for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and a severe mental illness?

  If 'finding housing' is stated as a clear goal in a 12-month plan of an NDIS participant, the NDIS may assist with funded supports such as a Support Coordinator to navigate the process of finding a home. They can help with things such as searching for and considering vacancies, making applications, negotiating a tenancy and transitioning into a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) option.

  If the participant has an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs, they may be eligible for housing funded under the NDIS SDA (source here). This is for people who require specialist housing solutions, including delivery of supports. Some people with mental health issues may be eligible for SDA. Only about 6% of all NDIS participants will be eligible for SDA.

  Eligibility for SDA can only be determined and included in the plan if the participant has explored all other possible housing solutions and supports (Source: https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/489-q-and-16-july-2018). This process used to be called Exploring Housing Options (EHO or EHOP). The Summer Foundation has produced a very useful EHOP guide (although some details may now have changed).

  If a person is not eligible for SDA, they are likely to be eligible for social housing (public, community and affordable housing). Access mechanisms vary between States/Territories but some States/Territories such as Tasmania have one-stop information and advice services: Tasmania’s Housing Connect can assist in identifying and navigating the available options.

• Can SDA recipients own their own SDA?

  Yes; SDA recipients can own their own SDA. The Summer Foundation has produced a guide, which can be downloaded here.

• What housing is available for a person who uses a wheelchair and their partner in SA?

  If 'finding housing' is stated as a clear goal in a 12-month plan of an NDIS participant, the NDIS may assist with funded supports such as a Support Coordinator to navigate the process of finding a home. They can help with things such as searching for and considering vacancies, making applications, negotiating a tenancy and transitioning into a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) option.

  If the participant has an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs, they may be eligible for housing funded under the NDIS SDA (source here). This is for people who require specialist housing solutions, including delivery of supports. Some people with mental health issues may be eligible for SDA. Only about 6% of all NDIS participants will be eligible for SDA.

  Eligibility for SDA can only be determined and included in the plan if the participant has explored all other possible housing solutions and supports (source here). This process used to be called Exploring Housing Options (EHO or EHOP). The Summer Foundation has produced a very useful EHOP guide (although some details may now have changed).

  If a person is not eligible for SDA, they are likely to be eligible for social housing (public, community and affordable housing). Access mechanisms vary between states and territories. The Register for public and community housing in South Australia provides a key access point.

  There is also a housing organisation which specialises in affordable housing in South Australia for people living with disability who may be able to provide advice: Access2Place. Website: https://www.access2place.com.au/

• What options are available for a young person living in residential aged care?

  Many NDIS participants living in residential aged care will be eligible for NDIS housing assistance through Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). As a starting point if 'finding housing' is stated as a clear goal in a 12-month plan of an NDIS participant, the NDIS may assist with funded supports such as a Support Coordinator to navigate the process of finding a home. They can help with things such as searching for and considering vacancies, making applications, negotiating a tenancy and transitioning into an SDA option.

  If the participant has an extreme functional impairment or very high support needs (which is often the reason a younger person is living in residential aged care), they may be eligible for housing funded under the NDIS SDA (source here). This is for people who require specialist housing solutions, including to assist with the delivery of supports. Some people with mental health issues may be eligible or SDA. Only about 6% of all NDIS participants will be eligible for SDA.

  Eligibility for SDA can only be determined and included in the plan if the participant has explored all other possible housing solutions and supports (source here). This process used to be called Exploring Housing Options (EHO or EHOP). The Summer Foundation has produced a very useful EHOP guide (although some details may now have changed).

  If a person is not eligible for SDA, they are likely to be eligible for social housing (public, community and affordable housing). Access mechanisms vary between States/Territories but some States/Territories such as Tasmania have one-stop information and advice services: Tasmania’s Housing Connect can assist in identifying and navigating the available options.

  The Summer Foundation, whose aim is to resolve the issue of young people living in nursing homes, provide useful resources and information on their website: https://www.summerfoundation.org.au/ .

• Why do social housing landlords require NDIS participants to have supports before considering their application? Is this requirement discrimination?

  Most social housing landlords (that is, public and community housing organisations) have experienced the failure of tenancies due to inadequate and/or unresponsive support with many negative consequences for the tenant. To reduce this risk, they will often require evidence of support arrangements before a tenancy commences and sometimes will enter into support partnerships.

  The introduction of the NDIS, while increasing the availability and flexibility of support, is changing how these arrangements can and do work, and can disrupt existing support partnerships. Many social housing organisations such as State/Territory housing authorities are beginning to develop NDIS or Disability housing plans to clarify how they can best respond to existing and new tenants as well as how to manage and develop properties in this new NDIS world. How they respond to the more flexible, consumer-directed NDIS support arrangements will form a key part of these plans.

  If social housing landlords do not have an informed, consistent and well thought out approach some NDIS participants may indeed see social housing landlords’ processes as a form of discrimination that may indeed contravene Federal or State/Territory law. Avenues for complaint vary between States/Territories as illustrated by the Tenants NSW summary of the NSW system. The NSW Ombudsman also provides a summary of complaint processes.

• What affordability benchmarks are used in housing?

  Typically, affordability benchmarks used in housing are calculated as a percentage of income excluding Commonwealth Rental Assistance (CRA). That is, the entire CRA is added to the total rent to be paid plus a nominated percentage of income (with CRA excluded from the income calculation). Government-funded housing rental levels (such as social housing and the NDIS SDA’s “reasonable rental”) are typically set at 25% of income plus all of CRA. Broader reporting of affordability, such as used in the Anglicare Rental Affordability Snapshots, will often use a 30% benchmark.

  Despite long-standing criticism such as is in the 2012 “Housing Affordability, Housing Stress and Household Wellbeing in Australia” Report, the income percentage-based approach remains in use.

  The emergence of the affordable housing sector has brought housing onto the market at a discount, such as 80% of market in the case of the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS). Many not for profit housing organisations, however, are limited to paying 75% of market rent to ensure access to charitable tax benefits especially GST related. Often they will use the ATO rental market limits.

  The application of 25% and 30% housing affordability benchmarks can impact significantly on what is considered affordable. For example, at the end of 2018 the maximum rental payable under the two housing affordability benchmarks for people on disability support pension (DSP) was:

  • 25% of DSP plus CRA - $181 per week per person
  • 30% of DSP plus CRA - $203 per week per person

  When two people on DSP are sharing, the difference between 25% and 30% is often enough to make significantly more dwellings in a rental market available.

  Supported accommodation such as Supported Residential Services (SRS) which provide other services including utilities, housekeeping and/or meals may charge a higher figure, often 75% or 85% of income, plus 100% of CRA.

• What options (including traditional & new housing models) are available for people with very high physical & cognitive support needs, who would have traditionally entered a group home?

  Summer Foundation https://www.summerfoundation.org.au/ (and its sister company, Summer Housing http://summerhousing.org.au/) are doing some great work in this space with prototype models such as Gipps Street in Abbotsford, and Frankston.

  Find out more at the Summer Foundation Housing Prototypes page

• How have group homes changed?

  Dr Christine Bigby https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/display/cbigby has been doing extensive work on this topic including producing “Guide to Good Group Homes. Evidence about what makes the most difference to the quality of group homes”. Download the guide here.

• What new governance models for group homes are out there?

  Supporting Independent Living Co-operative (SILC) are rolling out a co-operative model http://www.silc.coop/ for people with a disability. There has also been some discussion about co-housing models along the Camphill lines https://www.camphill.org/ but we are not aware of any operating models yet.

• Where is collated information about housing options for this group available to help people with disability & their families to make proper, informed housing decisions for the future?

  The need for accessible and useful information is one of the drivers of our project, and is the reason for a focus on promoting and developing training and information resources.

  Two resources that may be useful are “Two Hands: Delivering More and Better Housing for Australia’s NDIS Participants” (download here) and “Mainstream Housing Options” (download here).

  Two housing referral sites that may be useful include The Housing Hub and Nest.

• Who can I appoint as manager for the house (which we own) in which our son lives, who is not eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)?

  The MDI NDIS Housing Pathways Project is focussed on practical housing solutions for NDIS participants who are not eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). As such we focus on housing rather than support.

  Local registered community housing providers may be interested in taking over the property management of the house. These may be located through the Community Housing Industry Association (https://www.communityhousing.com.au/) or PowerHousing Australia (https://www.powerhousingaustralia.com.au/). Support providers keen to take on this role (assuming the current provider is unwilling to do so) are likely to be found amongst those active in your area (either locally based or part of an organisation based elsewhere). Usually these organisations will be advertising locally, have a local office and/or be known to other NDIS participants and families. In some cases, these organisations may also take on the property management.

• Why won’t NDIA assess my Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) eligibility first, before I try to find an available SDA property?

  The MDI NDIS Housing Pathways Project is focussed on practical housing solutions for NDIS participants who are not eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) housing. However we are aware that there is a review of SDA currently underway by the Department of Social Security (DSS) and the NDIA. Find out more at https://engage.dss.gov.au/sda-review/. There is also increasing discussion in the community about SDA and how it works. This includes the “Get Building SDA National Conference” in Melbourne March 2019   (register at https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=453434 ) and the “Get Building SDA” initiative by the Summer Foundation (http://getbuildingsda.org.au/ ) starting in regional NSW in April 2019.

• How will the NDIS impact people living in Supported Residential Services (SRS)? Will they be able to access alternative options?

  Supported Residential Services (SRSs) is the term used in Victoria for businesses that provide accommodation and support for Victorians who need help with everyday activities, for example, people who are frail, aged or have a disability.

  The Department of Health and Human Services registers and monitors SRSs https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/ageing-and-aged-care/supported-residential-services/srs-overview. There are broadly two types of SRSs:

  • Pension Only SRSs where generally the residents are  under 60 years of age have a low income
  • Above Pension SRSs level service  are over 60 years of age and have income higher than the pension.

  In 2013 there more than 2,300 people living in Pension-only SRSs. More than 95% of these had a disability, many experiencing psychiatric or an intellectual disability.

  There are no limits on the amount of accommodation and support fees that can be charged. For pension-only SRS the fee is typically a portion of the pension (for example 75%) plus rent assistance. Typically SRS residents and operators get little funding for support services.

  The NDIS may impact on SRS residents in a number of ways:

  • Residents eligible for NDIS may increase or indeed access portable flexible support funding for the first time
  • Some residents may move out of SRS into new housing options, utilising their portable support funds
  • Some SRS operators may become registered NDIS providers, expanding their services but also coming under the NDIS quality control systems.
• Why does the SDA payment level reduce if I share (even with someone who does not get SDA)?

  The MDI NDIS Housing Pathways Project is focussed on practical housing solutions for NDIS participants not eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) housing. However we are aware that the original logic for SDA was to only fund the housing cost of the SDA recipients, not people living with them. This policy seems to have some unintended and unhelpful consequences. We are hopeful that this issue has been considered in the review of SDA currently underway by the Department of Social Security (DSS) and the NDIA (https://engage.dss.gov.au/sda-review/). We note that there is also increasing discussions in the community about SDA and how it works. This includes the “Get Building SDA National Conference” in Melbourne March 2019 (https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=453434) and the “Get Building SDA” initiative by Summer Foundation http://getbuildingsda.org.au/ underway in regional NSW in April 2019.

• What accessibility standards should be used for building new housing for people with a disability?

  People with a disability have diverse housing requirements. While some require extensively modified housing, many only require some modifications and many none at all. The NDIS does provide funding for housing for those that have the highest level of need (who typically require the most specialist housing) through Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) funding. For those developing housing for  most of the 94% of NDIS participants who will not be eligible for SDA, it is useful to consider  modification levels developed by Livable Housing Australia  http://www.livablehousingaustralia.org.au/. For a modest cost it is often possible to achieve one of the three performance levels: Platinum, Gold and Silver. The adoption of the highest Platinum level will provide housing that will accommodate older people ageing in place as well as people with higher mobility needs. The lesser Gold level does introduce more generous dimensions and some additional requirements that makes the property more accessible. It is good practice for all developments that may house people with a disability (or older people) to design to the Gold level at a minimum.