Need for robust housing
A NEW house designed to accommodate people with mental disabilities will prove “life-changing” for its tenants, according to Specialist Disability Accommodation Qld director Deborah Segeren.
Designed to robust housing specifications, the Middle Ridge home includes two self-contained living areas, a sensory room and a space for a carer.
The project is one of a number in the city delivered by SDA Qld.
“These projects and homes change people’s lives forever,” Ms Segeren said.
“Once tenants move into one of our dwellings they can stay there for the rest of their lives, which means they can transition from a hospital or a nursing home and become established in here.”
Ms Segeren said there was high demand for robust housing in the city, catering for residents with a mental disability.
“Our biggest request at the moment is robust housing, we would get six requests for robust housing for every one for high physical support,” Ms Segeren said.
“Today at an expo I visited (in the city), I was told it was difficult for people to find this type of home to rent.
“When you talk about physical disabilities, people can visualise it – but the words mental disability, people don’t understand what that means.”
The home, which took 16 weeks to build, has two tenants moving in shortly.
“We could have rented this house 10 times over easy,” she said.
“We’ve got more robust developments planned in Toowoomba – we have quite a few individual self-contained villas.”
For more information about robust homes, contact SDA Qld business development manager Ashleigh Smith on 0400983240.