The 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 is framed around seven interconnected housing segments; new Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), existing SDA, non-SDA supported accommodation, social housing, private rental, in own home and in family home. The project will focus mostly on those not in or eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation, “the other 94%” on the basis there is money and skilled operators in the SDA space already.

Project aims

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 information and tools produced during the seven month project will be disseminated through an online platform open to people with disability, service providers and Local Area Coordinators to respond to the increasing need for accessible housing.

The project aims to provide information that will help people with disability find housing. If you have a housing-related question you would like answered, submit it here and we will do our best to address it through this project.

The project will be led by Joseph Connellan, who has been appointed as Senior Manager – Housing at the Melbourne Disability Institute. Joseph 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.”

Two Hands: Delivering More and Better Housing for Australia’s NDIS Participants

This book provides information about the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and its development, details of current supply and the proposed Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) policies. It explores funding and growth opportunities and presents a framework to support the analysis of any housing project for people with a disability. Finally, it looks at the implications of some key policy directions, such as separation of housing and support and choice of provider.

Access the book here

Submit question here Read Q&A here

Your Housing questions answered

All Housing Segments
What are the barriers to accessing and maintaining housing for NDIS participants?
What types of housing are available for people with a disability?
What affordability benchmarks are used in housing?

New SDA
Can SDA recipients own their own SDA?
What options are available for a young person living in residential aged care?
What new governance models for group homes are out there?

Existing SDA
How have group homes changed?
Are people who get SDA allowed to claim Commonwealth Rent Assistance and how is it determined?

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

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

In Own Home
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 NDIS Housing Pathways Project
What is the MDI NDIS Housing Pathways Project?

These links are current and live to the best of our knowledge. If any of these links are broken or do not work, please let us know and we will fix it.

This page is still very much under construction and more content will be added here over time. We welcome your input; if you know of other useful information which is not yet listed here, please let us know.