| KEY POINTS |
| Disability Options Finding appropriate and affordable housing for people with disabilities |
| Home Modifications Modifying existing rental houses for people with disabilities |
| Purpose-built Homes Homes built specifically for people with disabilites |
| Access Home Loans Loans for people with disabilities to buy or modify a home |
| Disability Services Coordinator, Occupational Therapist Service and Design Consultancy Service. |
The Department of Housing and Works offers a range of housing options to help people with disabilities access appropriate and affordable housing. This includes people with intellectual, physical, cognitive, neurological, HIV/AIDS, sensory or psychiatric impairment.
To be eligible for assistance, your disability must be permanent or likely to be permanent, and impact on your housing requirements (ie building design, proximity to services and/or support needs).
You must also meet current income limits. These income limits are higher than for other customers, recognising the additional costs faced by people with disabilities.
Options include:
- Mainstream rental housing
- Home modifications to make housing more accessible
- Purpose-built rental accommodation
- Home loans to purchase, build or modify private homes
- Community housing, where the Department of Housing and Works provides housing to non-profit organisations which manage the accommodation for clients with disabilities
- Bond assistance
Housing Options for People with Disabilities
Home ModificationsThe Department of Housing and Works will provide appropriate housing to meet your disability needs. This may include modifying existing rental homes to allow access by the person with a disability. Applicants will need to provide an occupational therapist assessment report or the Department will arrange for an occupational therapist to visit you and assess your disability housing need.
Tenants with a disability can apply through their Accommodation Manager to have home modifications carried out to improve access around your home. This could include providing ramps, grab rails and/or full bathroom renovation.
The Accommodation Manager will discuss the modifications with you or arrange for an occupational therapist to visit your home to determine what modifications are needed.
In some instances, it may not be possible or practical to modify your existing rental home to meet your disability needs. If this occurs, the Department will assist you to transfer to a more accessible or appropriately located home, or if necessary, build a purpose-built home to meet your disability needs.
The Department also offers assistance through the Access Home Loan Scheme for people living in privately-owned homes to carry out home modifications to cater for their disability needs or if necessary finance the purchase or construction of an accessible home.
Purpose-built Homes
Purpose built accommodation is primarily constructed for those with physical disabilities, these are referred to as mobility homes, however the Department of Housing and Works also purpose builds for people with other types of disabilities. The Department of Housing and Works may build group homes or cluster unit developments to meet a person's disability and social needs.
The Department of Housing and Works manages a number of programs and a purpose built home can be constructed within any of these. For example group homes and cluster strata titled units are provided through the Community Disability Housing Program.
Each Department of Housing and Works Regional Office has nominated a position as co-ordinator of the priority list for people with disabilities. This is usually the Manager Customer Services (MCS).
The officer in this position is responsible for deciding what type of accommodation is allocated to an applicant with a disability.
The Department of Housing and Works will firstly consider offering existing housing stock with or without modifications, if this meets the disability requirements of the applicants.
Purpose built mobility dwellings are provided to those applicants and/or tenants for whom the Department is unable to accommodate in existing stock with or without modifications.
Some of the design features include flat level thresholds, wider doorways, larger rooms and passages to allow for wheelchair access, recessed sliding door frames, low kitchen bench-tops, large rocker switch power points set at appropriate heights and accessible bathroom design.
In some cases you may be able to view a mobility purpose built home, subject to availability, please contact the Manager Customer Service.
If you wish to discuss what type of housing would best suit your needs please contact your nearest Department of Housing and Works Branch Office.
The Access Home Loan Scheme is designed to help people with disabilities buy their own home or modify an existing private home to cater for their needs.
People on disability support benefits and their carers in receipt of a pension can apply for this loan.
For more information, see the Access Home Loans page under Keystart.
To download a PDF copy of the Access Home Loan Scheme booklet (507 kB) and the Access Home Loan Self Assessment Guide (131kB) click on the links below. For more information on PDF documents, click on the PDF icon.
Access Home Loan Self Assessment Guide
Home Loan Information:
The Department of Housing and Works provides additional resources to people with disabilities including:
Disability Services Coordinator — The Department has a Coordinator responsible for developing policy and programs for people with disabilities within the social housing sector.
Further information is available by contacting:
Policy Officer Disability, Seniors and Tenant Support
Mel Croke
Phone: (08) 92224908
email: mel.croke@dhw.wa.gov.au
Occupational Therapist Service — The Department contracts an occupational therapy service to ensure that the needs of people with disability are properly assessed in regards to their housing and that appropriate allocations are made.
Design Consultancy Service — The Department contracts a number of architects to design appropriate housing for people with disabilities. Accommodation can then be modified or purpose built.
