Key findings from the 2025 National SDA Conference

SDA Living Australia’s National General Manager, Toula Moustakas, and Director, Dion George, recently attended the National SDA Conference in Brisbane.

The event brought together providers, advocates, sector leaders, and people with lived experience for a day of valuable insights, sector updates, and thought-provoking conversations about the future of Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) in Australia.

It was a chance to take stock of where we are, reflect on the challenges ahead, and explore how we can better shape homes and communities that truly meet the needs of people with disability.

‍

Sector Updates – Where We Stand

The Housing Hub’s June 2025 SDA report provided a clear snapshot of progress to date:

• 25,057 people now have SDA funding in their NDIS plan, with $560 million allocated (a 3% increase since March).
• Only 15,177 people are currently using their funding, well short of the 30,000 participants expected by this stage.
• 26,000 properties are enrolled, with 16,000 more in the pipeline, but only 30% of those planned are likely to be delivered.
• Vacancy rates remain high, with Housing Hub reporting 23% and other sources suggesting 41%.

These figures highlight both growth and ongoing challenges. While investment in SDA continues to increase, gaps between supply, demand, and utilisation remain.

‍

Good Design vs Compliance

Compliance alone does not guarantee good design. Meeting minimum SDA standards ensures a property is eligible for enrolment, but it doesn’t always mean the home will work well for residents. Best-practice design goes further, focusing on safety, dignity, and everyday usability.

Examples of best-practice design include:

• Level transitions at all doorways.
• Accessible bathroom gradients for High Physical Support (HPS).
• Robust features like magnum board walls, continuous hinges, and anti-ligature drains.
• Small but important details such as vision strips, flush skirting, and practical storage.

As one speaker shared: “The little things make a big difference to daily living.”

‍

Listening to Residents

Residents highlighted priorities such as living in locations close to community and amenities, having more than one accessible car space, particularly for vans, and access to communal areas, not just their individual apartments. Thoughtful features, including practical storage solutions and details like toilet back cushions, were also emphasised. Clear, respectful, and proactive communication from providers was considered essential. These insights underline that SDA must be flexible and adaptable to people’s changing needs, with resident voice always at the centre.

‍

Looking Ahead

The SDA sector continues to navigate VUCA: volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. But within these challenges lies opportunity.

With new design standards under consultation and a stronger focus on rights and inclusion, there is a chance to reset how we think about SDA, moving from simply building houses to creating true homes and communities.

At SDA Living Australia, these questions are front of mind. Because at the end of the day, SDA is not just about compliance or numbers, it’s about ensuring people with disability can live the lives they choose, in homes that truly work for them.

‍

Read Toula Moustakas’ full reflections on the National SDA Conference on LinkedIn.

‍