In 2015, The Summer Foundation launched three new reports that document the lessons learnt from developing our housing demonstration projects. Through these projects we want to demonstrate how well designed, well located, affordable and adaptable housing combined with smart home technology and appropriate support can improve quality of life, increase independence and decrease lifetime care costs for young people with disability.
The reports
The Learnings from the Abbotsford Housing Demonstration Project report offers reflections and learnings about the origins and set up phase of Abbotsford and describes the essential elements that contributed to the success of the project. The report also identifies opportunities for systemic reform. This information is relevant to new collaborative projects, new policy and the new thinking about housing for people with disability.
The New Housing Options for people with significant disability: Design Insights report documents our insights into how design of housing can support people with significant disabilities to live in their own homes with as much independence as possible. The report is based on learnings from our housing demonstration projects in Abbotsford, Victoria and the Hunter region of NSW. It outlines key accessibility, adaptability and technology features included in these projects. We anticipate that this information will be of use to agencies involved in planning housing and designing housing for people with disability.
Replicating and scaling this model of housing to have a real impact inspired a Social Finance Think Tank in June 2014 to explore the development of a model of social finance. The Think Tank identified a range of strategies that can be used in future projects to bridge the gap between the rental income stream provided by people on a disability support pension and the cost of these apartments.
The strategies, insights and conclusions documented in the Social Finance Think Tank report have relevance for a broad range of housing projects for people with complex disability and other groups of people who are disadvantaged.
Soft copies of these reports are available now for download.