SDA Improved Liveability Design Explained
SDA Improved Liveability explained: who this SDA design category is for, its sensory and wayfinding features, and how to get it funded in your NDIS plan.
If you or someone you love has a sensory, cognitive or intellectual disability, the way a home is designed can make the difference between coping and genuinely thriving. Improved Liveability is one of the four Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) design categories, and it's built around exactly these needs. This guide explains what Improved Liveability SDA is, who it suits, the features…
What Improved Liveability SDA is
Who Improved Liveability is designed for
The design features you'll notice
How it sits among the four SDA categories
What Improved Liveability doesn't include
Getting Improved Liveability into your plan
A note on the future of this category
Finding an Improved Liveability home
Frequently asked questions
What is Improved Liveability SDA?
Improved Liveability is one of four SDA design categories. It funds homes with sensory and wayfinding features — high contrast, good lighting, clear layouts, and light or sound-based alerts — designed for people with sensory, cognitive or intellectual disability so they can live more safely and…
Who qualifies for Improved Liveability housing?
It suits people whose disability affects how they sense or navigate their environment, such as vision or hearing impairment or cognitive disability. You still need to meet the general SDA eligibility rules — that specialist housing is a significant, enduring and reasonable and necessary need for…
Is Improved Liveability being removed?
The NDIS Review recommended removing it as a category for new developments in future, but that's a proposed policy change. It doesn't cancel existing funding. If you're already funded or housed under Improved Liveability, your arrangement continues; check current policy at your plan review.
Does Improved Liveability cover my support workers?
No. Improved Liveability funds the home's design only. The support you receive inside — personal care, supervision, help with daily tasks — is funded separately, usually through Supported Independent Living or other Core supports. The two work together but are funded from different parts of your…