News

Modified units for residents needing disability support

THE normally bleak housing outlook for people with high disability support needs, is now a little brighter.

Enliven is one of the organisations developing Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and CEO Faye Minty says they have eight, vacant, modified apartments allowing people with a disability to live as independently as possible in a development at 13-19 Mary Street, Auburn, with a ninth to be utilised by on-call, support staff.
Scattered throughout the larger development, the SDA apartments are indistinguishable from their neighbours on the outside, meaning the tenants with disability live as part of their community.
Describing the one-bedroom apartments as “beautiful, spacious and open”, Ms Minty said accessible features included wider doors and flat access to the balconies for wheelchair users.
The location in a culturally and linguistically diverse area in close proximity to amenities including shops, medical centres and transport, was also a key factor in choosing to develop the Auburn SDA units.
“It was really important to us that people were able to basically walk out or roll out the front door and be able to access everything they need,” she said.
“We wanted to create an opportunity for people from a range of different cultures to actually create a living environment that worked for them and their cultural needs.”
The cost of living in SDA is covered by the NDIS, and Enliven work closely with the Summer Foundation which runs the SDA Housing Advice Line – 1300 61 64 63, and has a Housing Hub Team supporting people with a disability to explore their available housing options.
Details: 0456 115 141 or maria.ellensohn@summerfoundation.org.au.