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Thinking about living independently? It seems that people’s sense of what’s possible is limited by what has been possible under the old system. The separation of housing and support under the NDIS and access to appropriate supports means that you can start exploring a range of housing options that allow you to live like everyone else.

You don’t have to wait to get your NDIS Plan to start looking for appropriate housing. To help you get started, the Summer Foundation has developed My Housing Preferences resource available here.

It’s important to remember that different housing arrangements suit different people and different life stages. Here is a list of some of the possibilities you may want to consider:

Community/social housing: Managed by a not-for-profit organisation, which may also own the property.

Cooperative housing: A housing co-operative is formed by a group of people with a common interest to work together to maintain and manage housing. Here’s an example: http://www.silc.coop/faq

Private rental: Renting a house from a private landlord. This guide to renting in the private market (written for all Victorians) contains useful checklists and templates: http://bit.ly/2nedYmO

Shared equity: When buying a home is shared between the resident and a partner – usually a government or not-for-profit agency. For example: Buy Assist http://www.buyassistaustralia.com.au/homebuyers/

Sharing with friends: Share houses generally rent in the private rental market. Watch Adam’s story of moving out of home for the first time at the age of 25 on this website, which also has excellent resources about living independently: https://adammovesout.wordpress.com/

Homesharing: Unrelated people share a house, and each person has access to private space. My Place operates homesharing in WA. Here is a link to a video about My Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox-G4m67zpA

A moveable unit or bungalow: Movable units are self-contained and can be set up in the backyard of a friend or relative. They are available through public housing: http://bit.ly/2AfoYoX

Public housing: Housing that is owned and managed by the government. Asset tests apply and there are long waiting lists. If you’re eligible it’s worth joining the queue.

Group home: A suburban house with four to six bedrooms that is staffed by disability support workers. Here is a group home checklist: https://rtc3.umn.edu/questions/lookfor.html

Residential aged care: Primarily this housing option is to provide care for frail, older people. Younger people are forced to live in aged care when they can’t access suitable housing and support in the community. The NDIS can help young people leave aged care. Watch this video about Denis’ experience of living in aged care: https://youtu.be/jIRnfGyjEKM

If, because of your disability, none of these housing options are suitable, you may be eligible for specialist disability accommodation (SDA). Developers are building SDA and vacancies are starting to be listed on specialist websites such as The Housing Hub, which is gradually expanding to new regions. The Housing Hub also includes links to other housing vacancy websites: thehousinghub.org.au

Renting to own: Hometown Villas are offering a rent-to-own scheme for SDA in Queensland, visit:
http://bit.ly/2icirVn

It’s taking a long time for the NDIS to put SDA payments in participants’ NDIS Plans, which is frustrating for participants and developers. We also know that some people are looking at advertised SDA vacancies and assuming they couldn’t afford them – but this might not be the case. Participants with SDA in their NDIS Plans pay what is called reasonable rent contribution (RRC), which is 25% of the Disability Support Pension, plus 100% of their Commonwealth Rent Assistance.