Specialist Disability Accommodation

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)

SDA stands for Specialist Disability Accommodation, which is housing that has been specially designed for people who are unable to live in mainstream housing due to their extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. The NDIS funds the cost of housing for eligible NDIS participants.

If SDA payments are included in your NDIS plan, you can look for a place to live that meets the housing type, design category, occupancy arrangement (who you will live with) and location that you are funded for.

To ensure our tenants living with disability are appropriately supported, Unity has long-standing formal partnerships with specialist disability support providers who endeavour to ensure that each tenant’s individual support needs are met.

Am I eligible for Specialist Disability Accommodation?

SDA is intended for participants who have an extreme or complete functional impairment due to disability or have very high support needs (including housing needs) most appropriately met by an SDA response.

Unity Housing provides housing specifically for individuals and families living with disability. Eligibility may include the following criteria:

  • A person/family living with disability on a low income
  • A person/family living with disability and receiving a high level of personal support
  • The property is accessible for the unique requirements of the person/family living with disability
  • People who have SDA funding in their NDIS plan or could reasonably be considered likely to have SDA funding included in their plan

If you are not eligible for SDA payments, the NDIS may pay for modifications to a house so that with the right supports, you can live successfully in mainstream housing. This might be community housing or private rental. Click here if you are interested in Community Housing.

How to register for Specialist Disability Accommodation

Unity Housing accepts referrals for SDA properties from disability support providers. You need to be a client of a disability support provider (some of whom are listed below) to be eligible for referral to our Specialist Disability Accommodation.

The disability support provider will assist you to fill out an SDA referral form and submit it to Unity Housing on your behalf. You may also need to complete a Registration of Interest (ROI) form and Housing Needs Assessment. The disability support provider will supply these, assist you with completing them, and forward them onto Unity Housing on your behalf.

Disability support providers advertise their SDA vacancies on the following websites:

  • The Housing Hub – helps people with disability find housing. The website lists SDA supported accommodation and accessible private rentals. You can search by housing type or location >> thehousinghub.org.au
  • Go Nest – matches people with disability with houses that suit their funding, support and personal needs >> gonest.com.au
  • Access 4 U
  • Affirming Futures Inc
  • Anglicare SA
  • Assured Home Care
  • Autism SA
  • Baptist Care SA
  • Benevolent Society
  • Calvary Community Care
  • CARA
  • Community Living Australia (CLAUST)
  • Community Living Options (CLO)
  • Deaf Connect
  • Disability and Reform – Accommodation Services
  • EllieB’s
  • ESAR Home Care
  • estara (previously PQSA and HomeCare+)
  • HCO Disability and Community Services
  • Hendercare
  • HomePlace
  • Hutt St Centre
  • Life Without Barriers
  • Lutheran Disability Services
  • Minda Inc
  • Miroma Inc
  • Neami National
  • Nextt
  • Nganana
  • Orana Australia Ltd
  • RAD Community Supports
  • SA Care
  • SA Hope Foundation
  • Uniting Care Wesley Bowden (UCWB)
  • UnitingSA

What happens next?

Once we receive an SDA referral form from your disability support provider, your application will be reviewed. You or your disability support provider will be contacted if a suitable vacancy arises that matches your housing preferences.

Available vacancies are allocated to those deemed to have the most urgent housing need and best match the available property. Even if you have special circumstances, it may take a long time before you are offered a property. This is because there may be other applicants with special circumstances who have already been approved for earlier housing assistance or the properties that become available may not match your circumstances.

It is important that you keep your contact details up to date so we can get in touch with you if a suitable property becomes available. Housing is in limited supply so please ensure you keep exploring all housing options.