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Accessible Homes Australia (AHA) is redefining Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) on the Fraser Coast with its innovative Urraween Village in Hervey Bay, due for completion in early 2026. Designed to meet the needs of individuals living with high physical support needs, the village will feature 12 state-of-the-art single-level SDA villas equipped with wheelchair-accessible amenities and […]
For Julie Meale, living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) comes with its challenges, but with incredible determination and the support of Accessible Homes Australia (AHA), she is enjoying an active and involved lifestyle. A tenant at AHA’s East Palm Beach apartments and foster carer for newborns, Julie is passionate about community involvement and is now looking […]
I’m Bree, Accessible Homes Australia’s General Manager – Customers and Operations. I help support applicants who might be interested in living in one of our Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) homes progress through their SDA journey, including those considering living at our newest independent villa project ‘Urraween Village’ at Hervey Bay. My team and I also […]
“Selling our land to Accessible Homes Australia, a group equally invested in community work, aligns perfectly with our mission. We are thrilled to support this endeavour and look forward to being neighbours,” said Bob Bowden, Vice-Chairman of the Board at New Life Christian Church where he’s been attending services for over eight years. With three […]
Accessible Homes Australia’s On-site Shared Support (OSS) ensures increased independence and improved quality of life for residents living in their communities. These care and support providers offer 24-hour assistance, empowering individuals with disabilities to lead engaged and fulfilling lives. In addition to the residents’ chosen care providers, the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) OSS provides support to residents, while ensuring cost-effectiveness for […]
Do you have a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) eligibility outcome for a group home arrangement, when you’re wanting to live independently? You are not alone, but it’s not the end of your journey. When reviewing applications for SDA and determining outcomes for registration, the NDIA only acts on the information given by the Participant or […]
Fraser Coast is the next region to benefit from disability accommodation developed by Accessible Homes Australia (AHA) as it commences construction on its fourth Queensland project in Hervey Bay. Twelve new residential villas for NDIS participants with high physical support needs are being built in Urraween within a growing community with close, flat access to […]
We’re pleased to announce Nick Stepanoff as our new Project Manager, who’ll be overseeing all AHA’s new SDA home community delivery, including development of our Urraween Village community in Hervey Bay, Queensland. With more than 30 years’ experience in construction project management, this passionate father of two enjoys overseeing all aspects of development, then coming […]
Both the recent Disability Royal Commission and NDIS Review recognised the need for people with disability to be able to choose from a range of quality housing and living services free from abuse, neglect and exploitation. For some people, this means a move away from traditional disability group housing. But what is the alternative? AHA […]
We’re excited to announce Angela Sager as our newest Accessible Homes Australia team member, who’ll be providing exceptional care to our residents, offering personalised support as they enjoy life in their Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) homes. We met Angela through her work with the NDIS and were always enamoured by her smiling face, and her […]
At AHA, home design is more than blueprints and building approvals – it’s a continuous, evolutionary process with the needs of our residents at its heart. Designing homes for people living with disabilities is not just about meeting regulatory requirements; it’s about enhancing lives, improving independence and fostering a sense of belonging. AHA’s unwavering commitment […]
Tom with his wife Megan and their three children Samuel, Abigail and Joe Like many good things, it started over a meal. AHA Managing Director Tom Ray and CEO Perry Cross got talking about how a more appropriately designed and built home, might be life changing for Perry. He discovered the NDIS had a fund […]
Brianna Barry is our much-loved General Manager Customers and Operations – which is fancy for “the one who looks after all of our community – our applicants, tenants, care partners and all the other incredible people and organisations that make our homes possible – and the go-to for problem solving, NDIS support, and/or a mean […]
‘Game changing’ accommodation has given people their independence back through innovative design and customised fittings that make both their home, and the wider community, easily accessible. Accessible Homes Australia (AHA) Hope Island resident Gail Harbott says her two-bedroom Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) supports her to live completely independently. “Everything is built lower so I have […]
NDIS participant, Brett Morris says his move from social housing to Accessible Homes Australia’s Specialist Disability Accommodation in East Palm Beach has “changed everything”. After a rugby tackle in 1993 left him with quadriplegia, Brett lived in homes not designed or built to cater for his supported living needs. “With my old accommodation, I had […]
Accessible Homes Australia residents will benefit from recent changes to On-Site Shared Support (OSS) within their communities, creating a greater blend of independent living with on-site assistance, financial stability, and increased care tailored to their needs. For individuals in AHA’s Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), the OSS is a 24-hour, support service providing an onsite carer […]
What is it? Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is housing for participants of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) who need specialist solutions and support to cater for their needs. The funding is available to help participants build, buy or rent specialist accommodation, providing opportunities to live independently or in share homes, with onsite access, where […]
EMBRACING CARE Accessible Homes Australia’s 24-hour On-site Support Service tenants, with carers providing assistance for those living with a high level of physical support needs. One such resident is dual amputee Jason Parker, who for years resisted care for fear of losing his remaining independence, opting to live with his parents for almost 12 years, […]
It’s a proud win for Accessible Homes Australia 🎉 We have been awarded the 2022 Best Accommodation Provider in Australia at the Australian Disability Services Awards. “We are extremely honoured to be recognised by industry members at this year’s Australian Disability Service Awards,” says Founder and CEO Perry Cross AM. “Our team is dedicated to […]
Caring for a loved-one is both challenging and rewarding and this week we recognise and celebrate the 2.65 million Australians who provide care and support for a family member or friend. This year’s theme, ‘Millions of Reasons to Care’ aims to broaden the community’s understanding of the role of a carer, highlighting why we need […]
“My team and I work 24 hours to offer concierge support service to AHA’s Hope Island SDA participants, who we actively listen to and work with to provide the best care,” says United Disability Care Service Leader Danni Gangell. “Whether we are needed to prepare food or for emergency responses, we always have someone available […]
For decades, paraplegic athlete Matt Speakman did not want a house with ‘rails and aids’ to remind him of the spinal injury he sustained at 26 when a drunk driver hit him on his motorbike. He sat on the floor of his shower, used a wheelchair without brakes and ‘performed acrobatics’ to move around homes […]
The Accessible Homes Australia (AHA) team has been working with tenants of its Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) apartments to further refine the concept of its innovative supported housing model, including the 24/7 onsite concierge care service. AHA offers 17 high physical support, clustered SDA apartments across two Gold Coast locations — East Palm Beach and […]
Advancements in assistive technology have made a life-changing impact on Australians living with high physical support needs, including our Founder, Perry Cross AM. All Accessible Homes Australia (AHA) Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) apartments are fitted with high-speed wifi connection, communications systems and provisioning for customised home automation features to help tenants live life with greater […]
When I was injured 28 years ago and became a C2 ventilated quadriplegic, there was the bare minimum of personal technology available. Mobile phones were nothing like they are today and Siri simply didn’t exist. We’ve come a long way from that era to today, where most aspects of life are more or less controlled […]
Access to 24/7 onsite concierge care is a key element of Accessible Homes Australia’s Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) projects, as it plays a huge role in supporting people with a disability while giving them more independence and control. We have partnered with United Disability Care (UDC) for our most recent project at No.1 Grant Avenue, […]
Meet Vitori Buatava, the founder and managing director of CareMatch Australia, a boutique care provider offering personal in-home assistance to Gold Coasters with a disability. Tori first met Accessible Homes Australia Founder and CEO Perry Cross AM in 2009 and their mutual love of sport — particularly rugby — saw the pair go from carer […]
One of the standout features of Accessible Homes Australia’s Specialist Disability Accommodation apartments in East Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, is access to an onsite 24/7 concierge care service, run in partnership with boutique care provider CareMatch Australia. Here, Vitori Buatava, founder and managing director at CareMatch, describes how the Palm Beach concierge support […]
All of Accessible Homes Australia’s Specialist Disability Accommodation homes include provisioning for smart home and automated technologies designed to be easily customised to suit the specific support needs of residents. This is for one simple reason: assistive technology is life-changing. As a c2 ventilated quadriplegic, the assistive technology within my AHA SDA apartment allows me to control […]
How does Accessible Homes Australia’s concierge support service work within the clustered apartment model? It’s a unique set-up where Specialist Disability Accommodation apartments are peppered within an otherwise residential apartment complex, plus there is an additional unit where a service provider is based to deliver 24-hour support. It’s flexible support delivery that provides customers access […]
The Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Scheme is one of Australia’s greatest modern innovations and the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) does a great job of giving people flexibility, control and choice over where and how to live. However, there are some circumstances where SDA participants may seek to review their application outcome — most commonly […]
I’m Accessible Homes Australia’s general manager of customers and operations and I help support prospective tenants through their Specialist Disability Accommodation journey, as well as ensuring the satisfaction and care of current tenants, and acting as a point of contact between tenants and the onsite concierge SIL service. It’s our mission to provide high-quality, positive […]
Housing Hub is a fantastic online community that connects people with a disability to accessible housing options across Australia. You’ll see Accessible Homes Australia projects listed through the service, which also includes great resources for those just starting the process towards Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). We chatted to Housing Hub’s Housing Options Facilitator, Lydia Dockrill, […]
The Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) scheme was designed and implemented by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to assist with housing for people with a disability. SDA is split into four types of design categories that cater to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants: Improved Liveability, Robust, Fully Accessible and High Physical Support. These categories […]
Accessible Homes Australia (AHA) founder and CEO Perry Cross has been appointed to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Reference Group. As one of 17 people on the committee, Perry will provide insight and advice to the Australian Government on how it rolls out the SDA scheme nationally, a conversation close […]
Brett Morris believes regaining independence is life-changing for a person with a disability – and that is why he wants to move to Accessible Homes Australia’s Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) at East Palm Beach. “Imagine if I could make lunch, get dressed, open my own door and head to the shops on my own,” Brett […]
Accessible Homes Australia (AHA) has announced its first Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) project on the northern Gold Coast, within Aniko Group’s $140 million 1 Grant Avenue residential precinct at Hope Island. The new project, scheduled to be open for occupation by December 2021, will see the creation of ten purpose-built, high physical support apartments within […]
Accessible Homes Australia Managing Director, Tom Ray, presents AHA’s East Palm Beach SDA apartments, right on the beach at Palm Beach on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Would you like to know more about Supported Independent Living (SIL) and how it works in with Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)? Accessible Homes Australia founder Perry Cross AM met with Brianna Barry, the SDA Intake Manager at MS Queensland, to chat through the practicalities, funding information and options for SIL funding. Contact our team at team@accessiblehomes.com.au or […]
I suffered a spinal cord injury at the age of 19 playing rugby union. I’m now a c2 ventilated quadriplegic, which means I can’t move or feel anything below my neck. This means I need to rely on round-the-clock support from carers, who help me do all the day-to-day things. Ever since my injury, I’ve […]
Accessible Homes Australia is celebrating the official launch of our East Palm Beach Specialist Disability Accommodation project on the Gold Coast, alongside our preferred disability services partner MS Queensland. Located on 23rd Avenue in Palm Beach, AHA’s East Palm Beach project will provide seven SDA apartments for occupation from July 2021, offering independent living to […]
The Journey to Independence When I became a C2 ventilated quadriplegic at 19 years of age following a rugby accident 25 years ago, living with independence in my own home didn’t seem like an option. And in reality, homes designed to adequately support people with high-supported needs to live independently simply didn’t exist until more […]
A home is the key to a better lifestyle As a disability support advocate, one of the things I’m most passionate about is finding ways to keep people with special needs connected to society. One of the ways we can achieve this is through sporting programs, which is why I founded the Sports Access Foundation. […]
For many living with a high needs disability, moving in to a house they can call their own is a life-changing goal. The good news is, this goal is achievable, with the right support. SDA Services helps people realise their housing dreams by producing quality housing reports for their SDA application, using the correct language […]
