SDA Building Types: Apartments, Villas, Houses and Group Homes
SDA comes in four building types for people new to SDA: apartments, villas, duplexes and townhouses, houses, and group homes with 4 or 5 residents. The NDIA writes one building type into the participant's plan, along with a design category and location. The right type depends on who the person wants to live with, the support they need and their goals.
What Are the Four SDA Building Types?
These are the NDIA's descriptions from its SDA guideline.
| Building type | What it is |
|---|---|
| Apartment | A self-contained unit in a larger residential building |
| Villa, duplex or townhouse | Separate but semi-attached homes on one land title or strata area, including stand-alone villas and granny flats |
| House | A detached low-rise home with a garden or courtyard |
| Group home | A house with 4 or 5 residents |
Each building type can come in different design categories, so you might see a High Physical Support apartment or a Robust house. The SDA Finder lists homes by building type and number of residents.
How Does the NDIA Decide the Building Type?
It looks at the person's needs and goals, who they'd like to live with, and how each building type would help them get their other supports.
- Would it help the person get their other NDIS supports?
- Does it suit the kind of home they want and their goals?
- Would it help them be part of their community and keep or build relationships?
- Would it reduce risks to them and others?
- Would it help family and friends keep supporting them?
- Is it more likely than another building type to improve outcomes?
Sharing supports with other residents can affect which building type is most appropriate, for example how many bedrooms the home has.
Looking for an SDA Home?
We'll connect you with a registered SDA provider who may have a home that suits.
Can You Live Alone in SDA?
Yes, if you prefer to or need to, and living alone meets the NDIS funding criteria for you.
One option is living alone with onsite shared support. Several participants each have their own home on the same site, such as apartments in one building, and share a support worker on site for unplanned help. Planned daily support, like getting up and meals, is arranged separately.
When onsite shared support may suit
As a guide, the NDIA looks for people who can use technology to call for help, need up to an average of 2.5 hours of unplanned support a day on top of planned support, can usually wait up to 60 minutes for unplanned help safely, and understand the risks of living alone.
Can You Live With a Partner, Friend or Family?
Yes. You can choose who you live with, if the SDA provider agrees and the NDIA is satisfied it isn't a risk to your health or safety.
The people you live with may or may not be NDIS participants. Only participants who are eligible for SDA get SDA funding, and anyone else pays their own costs, including rent. If you share a bedroom, the rent and the SDA amount in your plan change. The SDA pricing arrangements set out how.
Do You Have to Live Where Your Plan Says?
The plan includes a location, generally based on where you told the NDIA you'd like to live. When you look for a home, the building type and location usually need to line up with the plan.
When choosing the location, the NDIA considers your goals, where you live now and have lived before, access to community and mainstream services, connection to culture, and staying close to family and friends.
Questions People Ask
What is an SDA apartment?
A self-contained SDA unit within a larger residential building. It can be in any design category, and some apartment buildings offer onsite shared support.
How many people live in an SDA group home?
4 or 5 residents, according to the NDIA's guideline.
Can I choose a house if my plan says apartment?
You can usually live in a lower value home than your plan allows, but the NDIA won't fund more. If you want a different building type, talk to your support coordinator or ask about a plan change.
Are SDA villas the same as granny flats?
The NDIA groups villas, duplexes and townhouses together, and includes stand-alone villas and granny flats in that type.
Keep Reading
- SDA design categoriesThe four SDA design categories: Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, Robust and High Physical Support.
- Finding an SDA vacancyHow to find an SDA vacancy that matches your NDIS plan: the SDA Finder, support coordinators, new builds, what to check first, and what to do while you wait.
- What is SDA?What specialist disability accommodation (SDA) is, who it's for, the four design categories, building types, what it doesn't cover and what residents pay.
- SDA rent and costsWhat SDA residents pay: the reasonable rent contribution, how the cap is worked out, board, bills, sharing a bedroom and paying extra for a higher value home.
- Using the SDA FinderHow to use the NDIA's SDA Finder to search for SDA vacancies: the filters, what the listings show, what the Finder doesn't tell you, and what to do next.
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