The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is built on a powerful principle: choice and control. Participants are meant to have the autonomy to choose where they live, who they live with, and how they are supported. In the context of Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA), this should mean a spectrum of high-quality housing options in locations participants value — including aspirational settings like penthouse apartments by the beach.
But in reality, that vision often falls short. Here’s why:
1. Market Economics vs. Participant Desires
While the NDIS funds the bricks and mortar of SDA, it doesn’t subsidise land values or luxurious finishes beyond reasonable SDA standards. High-value areas — like beachfront or inner-city locations — carry land prices and construction costs that far exceed the funding envelopes, even for High Physical Support categories. Developers are unlikely to build where profit margins vanish, regardless of participant aspirations.
2. SDA Price Caps and Investment Risk
SDA payments are capped based on design category and building type, not location desirability. A High Physical Support apartment in regional Victoria attracts a similar price to one in Bondi — but the cost to develop them is vastly different. This disincentivises development in prime locations and discourages innovative housing models unless these can be heavily subsidised.
3. Regulatory and Supply Challenges
Developing SDA is a specialised, compliance-heavy process. Securing land, achieving design standards, and registering with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission adds layers of cost and time. These constraints further reduce the feasibility of high-end, niche housing options.
4. “Choice” in a Vacuum
Participants can only choose from what’s available. If the only SDA housing within reach is suburban group homes or shared apartments in outer areas, that becomes the default — regardless of personal preference. You can’t choose something that doesn’t exist, yet.
So, why don’t we see penthouse SDA apartments by the beach?
Because funding models, risk aversion, and real-world economics collide with the NDIS ideal. Choice and control are powerful words — but until the SDA market matures and innovation is rewarded, they remain aspirational for many participants, not actualised.
So, how are we addressing the current divide?
At Empowered Liveability, we’re acutely aware of the disconnect between NDIS ideals and market realities — and we’re not content to accept the status quo. While the system may not yet fully support penthouse apartments on the beach, we believe that every person deserves a home that reflects their goals, values, and individuality — not just a roof that ticks a box.
Here’s how we’re actively working to bridge the gap:
1. Creating Homes, Not Just Housing
We focus on creating a life worth living in a home worth living in. That means designing environments that go beyond minimum compliance — homes that are functional, beautiful, community-integrated, and genuinely reflective of participant goals. Our designs are person-first, with every decision guided by how it enhances quality of life.
2. Creative Land and Build Solutions
To overcome the geographic and financial barriers outlined above, we work closely with landowners, developers, and local councils to unlock affordable opportunities in desirable areas — not just outlying suburbs. Through strategic partnerships, flexible acquisition models, and a deep understanding of planning and compliance, we find ways to bring aspirational locations closer to reality.
3. Participant-Centered Co-Design
We prioritise co-design with participants and their support teams. From layout preferences to location, sensory considerations to future-proofing, we invite meaningful input long before construction begins. This ensures homes feel lived in — not just moved into.
4. Balancing Innovation with Practicality
We push the boundaries of what’s possible within SDA pricing structures. By working smart with materials, build typologies, and cost-efficient design, we stretch every dollar to maximise amenity and liveability. While we can’t change SDA price caps, we can be bold, strategic, and empathetic in how we build within them.
5. Advocating for Policy Reform
We know this is a system still evolving. That’s why we’re active in conversations with stakeholders across government, investment, and advocacy spaces. We champion reforms that support location-based funding, incentivise innovation, and reward providers who put participants first.
To move closer to the ideal, we need co-design, better incentives, and policy levers that value where people live as much as how.
