Good Housing completes special disability accommodation in Macquarie Fields, projects under way at Tahmoor, Bradbury

An uncle and nephew duo knows all too well the struggles people with disabilities grapple with when it comes to accessing quality support care. So, they set out to combat the horror stories that seemed all too common.

Uncle and nephew founders of Good Housing Sam Graiche and Antony Anisse with a client Tracey from their Hornsby specialist disability accommodation.

An uncle and nephew know all too well the struggles people with disabilities and their families grapple with when it comes to accessing quality support care. So, they set out to combat the horror stories that seemed all too common.

Antony Anisse, armed with a background in law, and his uncle Sam Graiche, with a wealth of experience in construction, founded Good Housing in 2019 after seeing their aunties and sisters raise three children with severe disabilities in the Hills Shire.

“I have three cousins with complex disabilities; one has Down Syndrome and cerebral palsy, and the other two have autism,” Mr Anisse said.

“So my uncle – he and my mum were two of eight, and their sisters have children with disabilities – and I came to appreciate and understand the impacts of the home environment on the quality of their lives and the family dynamic.

“We looked at the policy and realised there was an opportunity to deliver housing better than what is out there right now.”

Royal Rehab chief executive Matt Mackay, Campbelltown mayor George Greiss, and Good Housing's Antony Anisse at the opening last week.

Good Housing has just completed its latest project in Macquarie Fields, with two properties to be home to eight tenants and more projects currently underway at Bradbury and Tahmoor.

Depending on the project, Good Housing provides accommodation ranging from independent villas to shared residences with private amenities that allows the person to live with a disability outside of home. They also partner with organisations to help provide the support needed.

Good Housing is a family-run company born out of a lived experience with disability. Picture: Josh Carroll

Their latest project in Macquarie Fields has since been completed. Picture: Josh Carroll

In September, the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disability made 222 recommendations calling for sweeping changes to better the lives of the roughly one in five Australians who live with a disability.

Mr Anisse, who now lives in the Inner West, said the commission and the lived experience of people with disabilities made it abundantly clear there was a dire need for dignified dwellings to combat the lack of supply and the horror stories families have experienced in accessing care and support.

He added although demand is high throughout Australia, the need for suitable housing in the Campbelltown region was at critical levels, with more than 185 locals living with extreme disabilities that require special disability accommodation (SDA).

“The report showed approximately 17,000 residents are currently at high risk living in unsuitable group homes across the country,” Mr Anisse said.

“These people not only deserve a place they can be proud to call home but somewhere tailored to their lifestyles.”

Mr Anisse said SDA typically tended to be group homes, with all amenities shared, but Good Housing focused on providing private living spaces with shared common areas for socialising.

“To be eligible for SDA, they need to require high support such as one-to-one support or 24/7 supervision,” he said.

“But well-built homes can help reduce the need for support by having technology and systems in place to help support them to be as independent as possible.”

“Without a shadow of a doubt, we want to deliver something better than what has been done so far.”