SDA housing have been specially designed for people with extreme functional impairment and/or very high support needs.
70+ five-star
70+ five-starSpecialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is housing funded by the NDIS for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs.
This guide explains how Specialist Disability Accommodation works, including eligibility, design categories, funding and location, so you know where to start.
SDA housing includes houses, apartments and villas specially designed for people with high functional impairment or high support needs. Each home is purpose-built to help tenants live more independently.
There are four categories of SDA, determined by the design features and provisions a dwelling is built with. Some features are exclusive to one category, so your category determines which homes suit you. Common features include wider doorframes, large accessible bathrooms, open-plan living and provision for Assistive Technology.
To access SDA, participants must meet the NDIS eligibility criteria, which direct funding to the people who benefit most from a specialised home. For a shorter overview, see our What is SDA page.
Being an NDIS participant does not automatically make you eligible for SDA funding. The NDIS funds SDA when it is the best option for your support needs compared with other supports alone.
Expect to provide reports from your allied health professional or documents outlining your daily support and housing needs. This is usually a functional capacity assessment or a home and living supporting evidence form prepared with your Support Coordinator.
Yes. If your needs change and your plan no longer meets them, for example you now need a higher design category, you can apply for a change of circumstances. Our SDA eligibility and funding guide has more detail.
Our eligibility calculator gives you an answer in under 60 seconds, with no paperwork.
Every SDA dwelling is built to one of four categories, each with its own standards and criteria. A home must include specific features to be enrolled under a category, so your funding pays for the environment you need. For more detail, see the Design Categories hub or the SDA Design Standard.
Improved Liveability (IL) homes provide a reasonable level of physical access plus additional features that promote safety, comfort and easy wayfinding. Doorways, handles and switches are clearly visible so moving through the home is seamless.
High-contrast joinery · wide sightlines · task-lit kitchen
Fully Accessible (FA) homes focus on a high level of physical access. They’re step-free throughout and include modifications that make everyday movement and use straightforward — particularly beneficial for wheelchair users.
Step-free entry · 90cm doorways · roll-under benches
High Physical Support (HPS) is the most comprehensive SDA design category built for participants with higher support needs. This category is most compatible if you often require additional support and specialised equipment for day-to-day activities.
High-contrast joinery · wide sightlines · task-lit kitchen
Under the SDA Design Standard, the Robust design category addresses the needs of participants who may present with complex behaviours or psychosocial disability, such as Autism or mental health conditions. This design category ensures that homes are built to support not only participant safety and comfort but also the long-term durability of the property.
High-contrast joinery · wide sightlines · task-lit kitchen
| Requirement | IL | FA | HPS | Robust |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-free throughout | Partial | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Minimum door opening | 82cm | 90cm | 95cm | 82cm |
| Hoist provision in bedrooms | No | On request | Required | No |
| Backup power (UPS) | No | No | Required | No |
| Impact-resistant materials | No | No | No | Required |
| Wayfinding & contrast features | Required | Included | Included | Varies |
Indicative summary only. Enrolment requirements are set out in the NDIS SDA Design Standard.
"We become part of your team. We understand the value of including tenants in the decisions that shape where they live."
SDA funding is provided by the NDIS and paid directly to your SDA provider. The provider owns the home and, much like a landlord, rents it to you. NDIS payments cover the building and its maintenance, and you pay a smaller rent contribution.
Before approving SDA, the NDIS meets with you, and a support person if you choose, to confirm it will benefit you. The process has six steps.
Collect evidence that shows how SDA will benefit you, such as allied health reports, a functional capacity assessment or a home and living supporting evidence form from your support coordinator.
Email the NDIA your Change of Details or Change of Situation Form, plus a Supporting Evidence Form. The Supporting Evidence Form is optional at this stage, but it speeds up the process.
A conversation with an NDIS representative who walks you through the planning process. Calls can run over an hour, so set aside time and have your questions ready.
You discuss your circumstances, current supports, daily needs, safety requirements, goals and plan management preferences.
Your funded design category is confirmed, which narrows your housing options. Now is the time to enquire about open homes and register your interest. If the outcome is not what you hoped, you can request an internal review.
Once you have chosen a provider, log in to view the agreements between you and them. Your provider requests payments here, and you can see the start and finish dates of your SDA journey.
Once your funding is approved, use this checklist to assess each home.
When you become a tenant you enter a tenancy or occupancy agreement setting out the type, quality and price of your housing supports. You may also enter a separate service agreement with your support provider covering the supports delivered in the home. Read more about SDA tenancy management.
Jennifer talks about moving into an Enliven home, what changed day to day and what she wishes she had known earlier.
Watch Jennifer's storySDA funds the home. Supported Independent Living (SIL) funds the support you receive in it. You can have either on its own or both together, and you do not need SDA housing to receive SIL.
Enliven Housing provides housing and tenancy only. Because personal support is separate, you can choose where you live and who supports you independently. See our SIL vs SDA guide for more detail.
Our homes are in well-connected suburbs close to transport, health services and the people you already know.
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