$2.7M investment to increase disability housing

Four independent living homes are set to be developed across Ipswich

Endeavour Foundation CEO Andrew Donne, Darrin Simpson and Minister for Disability Services Craig Crawford.

PEOPLE living with disability across Ipswich will soon have more choice for independent housing accommodation.

Endeavour Foundation this week announced it would inject a total $2.7 million into the development of four new independent living facilities.

It comes as part of the charity’s three-year $35 million initiative to deliver am estimated 59 new properties across Queensland.

Construction of two new four-bedroom properties at Sarah Dr, Yamanto is set to be complete by June this year.

Endeavour Foundation announces the development of four disability-friendly housing

Each facility will house four residents, with a fifth bedroom available to a support worker.

Development of the remaining two homes, to be located at North Ipswich, will commence in 2022.

Endeavour Foundation CEO Andrew Donne said Ipswich was proved to be a suitable location due to the number of people moving to the area.

“We’ve done the research with the NDIS, and there’s a high demand for supported independent living in the Ipswich area,” he said.

“We’re trying to build houses where there’s actual demand.

Artist impression reveals the layout of the new homes.

“The beauty of living in a place like Yamanto is that we can get more people here and there’s access to public transport and shops just around the corner.”

Costs to develop one property are estimated to reach between $700,000 and $800,000.

“[The figure] depends on level of the ground, and the number of bedrooms we put in,” Mr Donne said.

“This not a standard house from a residential perspective because all the rooms are a lot larger and the corridors are a lot wider.

“We also put [specialised] equipment in, such as alarm systems so if people get distressed at night time they can press an alarm and a carer will come out to attend to them.”

Lynne Simpson and son Darrin have been involved with the foundation for several years.

Mr Donne hoped the new housing would remove pressure from aged care facilities, many of which care for adults living with disability.

“The reason why we’re pushing ahead with these programs is we want to get them out of aged care facilities and into a facility that you know where they’re going to be with their peers.”

“What we’re trying to do is give people the opportunity to live independently,” he said.

“To also enable them to get involved in community activities as opposed to living with mum and dad or a group home environment.”

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