SDA Housing Density Requirements and Calculations

An often overlooked section of the “National Disability Insurance Scheme (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Rules 2020” is density.  Unfortunately, this has not been made clear in most documentation produced.

Anyone looking to create SDA within a single parcel of land must familiarise themselves with these requirements.

National Disability Insurance Scheme (Specialist Disability Accommodation) Rules 2020

Subdivision C—Density restriction

31  Density restriction

(1)  The density restriction applies in relation to a parcel of land if:

(a)  the parcel of land has 2 or more dwellings; and

(b)  at least one of those dwellings is either:

(i)  a new build; or

(ii)  existing stock.

(2)  If the density restriction applies in relation to a parcel of land, the total number of eligible participants that can receive funding for specialist disability accommodation in relation to all dwellings located on the parcel of land must not exceed:

(a)  if one of the dwellings on the parcel of land is enrolled to house 3 or more residents—the greater of the following:

(i)  10 eligible participants;
(ii)  10% of the total number of residents capable of residing on the parcel of land, assuming one resident per bedroom; or

(b)  if all of the enrolled dwellings on the parcel of land are enrolled to house no more than 2 residents and the dwellings are part of an intentional community—the greater of the following:

(i)  15 eligible participants;
(ii)  25% of the total number of residents capable of residing on the parcel of land, assuming one resident per bedroom; or

(c)  if all of the enrolled dwellings on the parcel of land are enrolled to house no more than 2 residents and the dwellings are not part of an intentional community—the greater of the following:

(i)  15 eligible participants;
(ii)  15% of the total number of residents capable of residing on the parcel of land, assuming one resident per bedroom.

How do I calculate specialist disability accommodation allowances for a property?

Farah Madon the lead author for the NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation Design Standard has developed a density calculator that is freely available for architects and developers to easily calculate the number of rooms that can be allocated to SDA.

Importantly remember, the calculations are based on the number of rooms within the development which determines the maximum number of rooms permitted to be allocated for SDA and not the number of apartments.

Use The NDIS SDA Density Calculator