Disability housing's new highs

DEVELOPER Phil Usher is taking on a new challenge aimed at helping young people with a significant disability by tackling the shortage of appropriate, long-term housing disability accommodation on the Gold Coast.

Aligning with the NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) scheme, Mr Usher has planned a number of luxury apartments that will provide a home for people with a disability as soon as mid 2020.

Mr Usher, whose Odyssey Health Group is currently developing an $81 million independent living community at Robina, plans to dedicate a completely separate space within the project to cater for people who qualify for SDA within the NDIS.

The dedicated space will be operated by LifeBright and will run entirely independent from the Odyssey Private Aged Care community.

“LifeBright is designed to help fill a significant void in the accommodation market for people with significant disabilities through a dedicated worldclass community that promotes independent living,” Mr Usher said.

“Most people who need this community are quite young, so we see it as an important project in helping them get their lives on track.”

LifeBright will occupy two floors of the Robina independent living community and will include a separate entrance, independent access and lifts and dedicated facilities for residents such as its own reception area, common areas and community gardens.

Each apartment, ranging in size from 76 sqm to 91 sqm, will be built to the NDIS SDA High Physical Support requirements and will receive high-end luxury finishes and fixtures.