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Housing For People
Melbourne - Housing Options
SDA Journey Series – Part Seven: Behind the Scenes of Making It Work

After a potential match has been identified, the journey enters one of its most critical...

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SDA Journey Series – Part Six: Finding a Potential Match

After weeks, and sometimes months, of searching, inspecting properties, and having ongoing conversations, there often...

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SDA Journey Series – Part Five: Rethinking Location

By this point in the journey, a lot has been learned. There have been conversations,...

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SDA Journey Series – Part Four: The First Property Viewing

After conversations, assessments, and careful searching, the journey reaches an important milestone. The first property...

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The DHS Difference –

When people hear about SDA providers in the news lately, it can start to feel...

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SDA Journey Series – Part Three: The Property Search Begins

By the time this stage of the SDA journey begins, a clearer picture has started...

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SDA Journey Series – Part One: Where It All Begins

Every SDA journey starts somewhere. Sometimes it begins with a conversation. Around twelve months ago,...

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SDA Journey Series – Part Two: When the Search Officially Begins

In Part One of this series, we shared how every SDA journey begins with a...

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What Happens When There Are Delays in the Move-In Process?

In the SDA space, there’s a moment we all hold our breath. The house is...

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Breaking Barriers: Supporting Independent Living for People with High Support Needs

Inclusion isn’t just a concept, it’s a lived experience. For many people with high support...

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The Human Impact of Transitioning from Group Homes to Smaller Residential Living

The transition from large group home models to smaller, more individualised residential settings is often...

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The Benefits of Local Community Engagement in SDA Projects

Supported Disability Accommodation (SDA) is about more than accessible housing, it’s about creating homes where...

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How Funding Misalignment is hurting Home & Living Outcomes

Across the NDIS, we’re seeing a growing gap between housing readiness and support readiness. To...

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Living with Family in an SDA Home: What You Need to Know

For many families, moving into a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) home is a big step,...

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Top Features to Look For in Accessible Housing for High Physical Support Needs

Choosing accessible housing for individuals with high physical support needs requires more than simply checking...

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When the System Isn’t Perfect, Collaboration Matters

There’s always a quiet sense of anticipation that comes with the beginning of a new...

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Apartment vs House vs Townhouse: Which SDA Home is Right for You?

Choosing the right Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is a big decision that can significantly impact...

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A Year of Collaboration – Celebrating Relationships In 2025

At Empowered Liveability, we often say that collaboration sits at the heart of everything we...

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Reflecting on 2025: A Year of Growth, Impact & Connection at Empowered Liveability

As 2025 draws to a close, Empowered Liveability is proud to look back on a...

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Why Recognition Matters: How All Organisations Benefit from Celebrating Their People

Industry conferences and awards nights have long been a fixture across many sectors, but within...

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Affordable vs Custom Accessible Home Builds: Pros & Cons

Designing an accessible home goes beyond installing ramps or widening doorways, it’s about creating a...

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Higher Risk Weather Season – Safety Tips from the EL Team

Higher-Risk Weather Season is here — and being prepared keeps everyone safer. Extreme weather can...

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Living in SDA – Your Rights and Responsibilities

Understanding your rights and responsibilities in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is key to feeling confident,...

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Buying or Building Your Own SDA Property: What You Need to Know

For many people with disability and their families, the idea of owning a home designed...

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Reframing the role of inclusive housing in Australia’s traditional housing system with Nicole Makin-Doherty

Managing Director at Empowered Liveability, Nicole Doherty was recently invited as a guest on Bond...

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Sarah Knows Support Workers: If You’re Going to Be in This Sector — Don’t Be a Dickhead.

Let’s get real about SDA housing. Recently, our very own Nicole Doherty joined Sarah Heriot...

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Choosing the Right Home and Living Option in the NDIS

When it comes to Home and Living supports under the NDIS, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach....

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Navigating Change: Finding Calm in the Chaos of Policy Shifts

In a landscape as complex and dynamic as the NDIS, one thing remains constant –...

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The DHS Difference: Empowered Liveability (Part 2 of 2)

Part Two is here! Empowered Liveability wraps up our two-episode feature on the Disability Housing...

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The Power of All-Abilities Sporting Leagues

At Empowered Liveability, our sponsorship of all-abilities teams is rooted in a simple truth: participation...

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The DHS Difference – Episode 27 Empowered Liveability (Part 1 of 2)

Big news! Our amazing Goro Gupta and Nicole Doherty were featured on the Disability Housing...

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Pivoting Towards Progress: Empowered Liveability’s Approach to Modern Disability Housing

At Empowered Liveability, we’ve made a conscious decision — not to dwell on what isn’t...

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Carers Week 2025: Recognising the Heart Behind the Care

Across Australia, more than 2.6 million people provide unpaid care for a family member or...

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Quest X Sydney: Turning Possibility into Reality

At the Quest X Sydney event, the energy in the room was electric. It wasn’t...

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Let’s Make Sure No Participant Spends Christmas Without a Home

As the year winds down, many of us in the NDIS and disability housing sectors...

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Listening to Lived Experience: What Participants Want from SDA

At the 3rd National SDA Conference in Brisbane, one message came through clearly: people with...

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Homelessness and Disability: The Hidden Crisis We Can’t Ignore

Homelessness Week (August 4–10, 2025) offers a vital opportunity to spotlight the intersecting crises of homelessness and...

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Choice and Control in SDA: NDIS Ideals vs. On-the-Ground Reality

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is built on a powerful principle: choice and control....

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Are You Marketing the Wrong Way?

A Wake-Up Call for SDA and SIL Providers When it comes to promoting Specialist Disability...

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Why Tenant Matching Matters in SDA.

When it comes to Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS),...

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Housing - Empowered Liveability

Our Customers Share the Love

Accommodation Melbourne

“Nicole is a dedicated and passionate advocate for supporting people with disability to live their lives with the same level of choice, access and inclusion available for everybody. Working alongside Nicole in the disability and community sector, I have seen her drive and enthusiasm in action.

Starting from the ground up, she has developed a strong and informed perspective to support delivery that translates into a committed approach to shaping the future of disability housing. Nicole’s work in the NDIS housing space, and her engagement with the disability, and her local, community, underpins a dedication to providing a high standard of housing options that facilitates choice for all. If you need support or guidance on your housing journey, I can definitely recommend reaching out to Nicole and her team at Empowered Liveability.”

“I have known Nicole for several years now, meeting her through the amazing work she and the Empowered Liveability team do for individuals living with disability. Nicole is a compassionate and professional leader in all that she involves herself in. It has been fantastic working with Nicole over the period we have known each other, with Nicole’s care and dedication to those who need support to create the life they desire, motivating so many people around her to be the best version of themselves.”

“Nicole is nothing short of amazing! While she has 20 plus years experience in Disability support services she is now a wealth of knowledge in the areas of NDIS SDA and SIL. What inspires me most about Nicole is her passion of supporting people to be living in the home they choose, out of hospital and in to their own home! Nicole’s business is successful because she is truly someone who is in the business because she cares about people.


So if you are looking for SDA options for yourself or a family member or even an investor wanting to know more. Nicole is the lady you need to connect with, you wont be disappointed! It’s been a honor to be a part of her journey of the past 2 decades.”

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NDIS Provider Number: 4050035982Q&SG Registration ID: 4-433C-2789ABN: 27 621 705 235