SDAA - Specialist Disability Accommodation Alliance

09/09/2025

Hot off the heels of the recent Four Corners story into misguided investment in the NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) market, Brent Woolgar and Jeramy Hope from the SDA Alliance explore the future of SDA investment (it’s not all bad news!)

27/08/2025

SDA: A Model Worth Protecting and Perfecting

🏡 Across Australia, quality homes are being built by members of the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Alliance.

🔑 Creating homes where people with disability genuinely want to live, understanding the demand, and applying greater rigour and thorough planning in the initial stages.

💡 These homes promote independence, lower reliance on supports, and generate value for the NDIS.

🚫 The issue isn't with SDA itself — it's poor practices and a misunderstanding of market data. Homes are often built speculatively in unsuitable locations.

✅ The answer isn't to cut back on investment — it's to make smarter investments, linked with sophisticated investors like Institutional funds.

✨ Excellent SDA goes beyond providing housing — it offers security, a sense of belonging, and the freedom for people with disabilities to live life on their own terms.

It's time to bolster the market with quality, integrity, and a focus on achieving positive long-term outcomes for participants.

26/08/2025

Behind every SDA success story is a person with disability who now has:
🏡 A home designed for their specific needs
💡 Smart technology that increases their independence
🏘️ Connection to community and services they need
👥 Reduced reliance on paid support
❤️ Pride in their own home

This is what happens when SDA gets it right via proper consultation, thoughtful design, and homes built where people want to live.

It's not about investment returns. It's about life-changing outcomes for people with disability.

25/08/2025

Tonight’s Four Corners program highlighted some serious problems in disability housing, but it's important to understand the full story.

When Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is done right – with proper consultation, smart design, and in the right locations – it transforms lives. People with disability are moving from group homes and hospitals into their own homes, gaining independence they never thought possible.

The problem isn't SDA itself, it's when homes are built speculatively in locations where people don't want to live, often by investors who don't understand disability or community needs.

Over 1,000 homes are sitting empty because they're in the wrong places with limited amenities. Meanwhile, best practice providers are delivering hundreds of high-quality homes in communities where people actually want to live.

Every person with disability deserves a home they're proud of, with the technology and design that supports their independence, in a community where they can thrive.

That's what SDA should deliver, and what the best providers are already achieving.

Read our full statement here: https://rb.gy/9csncd

21/07/2025

🔍 Building Market Confidence in SDA Financing 🏦

Recently, our CEO Jeramy Hope presented to senior representatives of Commonwealth Bank and ANZ Australia, showcasing how our members are delivering market-leading results across the Specialist Disability Accommodation sector.

With over $3.5 billion invested, 4,000+ homes delivered or in development, and 5,000 people housed, our members are demonstrating that ethical, NDIS National Disability Insurance Scheme participant-focused SDA is not just socially vital; it’s financially sound.

Key takeaways from the presentation included:
✅ The critical role of property location, amenity, and design in minimising vacancy risk
✅ How participant preferences shape successful developments
✅ Why good SDA providers think like BTR investors, but with a social impact lens
✅ Sector-wide vacancy insights and how our data-driven approach improves outcomes

This is part of our ongoing advocacy to ensure financial institutions understand:
💡 The unique characteristics of the SDA market
🛡️ How risk is mitigated by providers who deliver high-quality, well-located homes
📈 The opportunity for sustainable returns with real-world impact

We’ll continue to work with our members, governments, and capital partners to strengthen sector confidence and support access to finance across the SDA ecosystem.

17/07/2025

📣 Our CEO, Jeramy Hope, is speaking at the National First Nations Housing & Homelessness Forum! 📣

We’re proud to share that Jeramy will be presenting on Day Two of this important national event, held in Adelaide on 9–10 September 2025 at the InterContinental.

The forum will bring together key voices from across the housing and homelessness sectors, with a focus on supporting First Nations communities and building partnerships that drive impact.

If you're based in South Australia or work in housing, disability, or homelessness, this is a fantastic opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate.

🗓️ Register here: https://ihh.aventedge.com/register

Jeramy will be presenting advocacy for systemic reform, with a particular focus on consistent federal investment in housing, enhanced tenant protections, and culturally inclusive approaches. These principles are integral to the SDA Alliance’s policy agenda. These themes are in direct alignment with the Forum’s broader agenda, which encompasses planning, service delivery, Indigenous-led solutions, and collaborative approaches.

We hope to see many of our members and sector partners there!

If your organisation provides a solution or service to the primary delegate market, the vendor rate applies. Alternatively, get in touch with us at [email protected] to explore our sponsorship opportunities.

14/07/2025

Why being part of the SDA Alliance matters to us 💜💙 At Living Well Solutions, we’re proud to be a member of the SDAA - Specialist Disability Accommodation Alliance
This means we stay up to date with the latest SDA developments, connect with other experts in the sector, and are committed to high standards and quality housing for people with disability.
What does this mean for you? SDAA raises the bar and turns sector experience into real, measurable influence, improving how SDA works at every level, from legislation to lived experience.

13/07/2025

🔍 Grattan Report Response: A Stronger, Safer, Smarter NDIS Starts with Targeted, Specialist Housing 🏡

The Grattan Institute’s latest report, “Better, safer, more sustainable: How to reform NDIS housing and support,” is one of the most aligned pieces of public policy thinking we’ve seen in recent years, and we commend their efforts.

It calls out what the SDA Alliance has long championed:
✅ SDA must remain targeted at people with profound disability and intensive needs.
✅ Foundational support must be delivered through schools, hospitals, and the community, not by default through the NDIS.
✅ A sustainable, investible SDA market is essential, with real returns for providers and long-term impact for participants.
✅ Smarter, more flexible funding must reward innovation, not entrench inefficiency.

This is the moment for system reform that works for the people it was built for, and SDA has a critical role to play.

We’ll continue advocating for tailored housing solutions, fair investment returns, and proper safeguards to ensure SDA remains a high-impact tool for those who need it most.

🧠 Read the full report: https://grattan.edu.au/report/better-safer-more-sustainable

🤝 Join the conversation with us.

The NDIS is failing tens of thousands of profoundly disabled Australians. Here’s a four-point plan to help fix the problem.