‘It’s growing so much’: NDIS-spec housing boom in Townsville

For the first time ever, Townsville has its own ‘disability housing specialist’, hired to help residents make their way into the growing market of NDIS-spec homes. Take a tour.

Asti Savage and her dog Jag show off an Elliot Springs home built to NDIS 'high physical support' spec. The home is brand-new and just come on the market.

For the first time ever, Townsville has its own ‘disability housing specialist’, hired to help residents make their way into the growing market of NDIS-spec homes.

Asti Savage began work this month for Disability Housing Solutions (DHS), and says she wants to “get the message out there” about availability.

Mrs Savage said DHS currently has 10 new homes in Townsville - roughly half have been filled with tenants, and the rest are ready to be leased out.

“They hired me up here because it’s growing so much,” Mrs Savage said of the disability housing market.

“A speciality disability home allows people to live a far more empowered life, many of our tenants have said once they move into a purpose-built house they’re able to spend more time studying and getting great jobs, so it has a big impact.”

Asti Savage and her dog Jag show off a Elliot Springs home built to NDIS 'high physical support' spec - designed for those in wheelchairs and powerchairs.

The houses are privately owned by investors who built the houses to NDIS specifications, with the intention of leasing to groups like DHS.

Hopeful tenants need to be on an NDIS plan that includes a specialty disability accommodation funding package.

Approvals to receive the package can take up to 12 months, creating a frustrating speed bump for the new housing market.

Mrs Savage said some people living with disabilities were also worried about what the homes were like, and were delaying applying for one.

“Some people can be ashamed of their disability and don’t want to stand out so they’re worried a purpose-built house like this will be too much, but from the front it looks like any other house. It’s nice and spacious,” she said.

“I want to showcase this house we have available in Elliot Springs to show people it looks like any normal house.”

The Elliot Springs home is freshly built with solar panels and a battery pack for backup power, three large NDIS-spec bedrooms with their own kitchenettes and ensuites, a large kitchen, living and patio area, and one carer’s bedroom.

Its set up means it can be used in a sharehouse style, or by a family.

DHS also has homes in Mount Low, Burdell, Shaw, Bushland Beach and Rasmussen.

Mrs Savage is encouraging anyone with questions to contact her on 0400 241 791.

Originally published as ‘It’s growing so much’: NDIS-spec housing boom in Townsville