Northcott provides new disability housing options in Ballina

Northcott is pleased to be partnering with DPN Casa Capace once again to provide new state-of-the-art independent living options for people with disability in Ballina. The two organisations recently opened a new disability housing development in the area.

The new development comprises of a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house and a separate one bedroom/bathroom unit. The house is built to the ‘High Physical Support’ needs requirements and the unit meets the NDIS ‘Robust’ requirements (both NDIS SDA housing categories).

Kim Davis, Northcott’s General Manager, says Northcott’s partnership with Casa Capace makes it possible for people with disability to live with dignity in a home that has been built to suit their requirements.

People with disability need good quality, purpose-built housing that is not isolated from other people. Casa Capace’s home for Northcott will properly support our residents’ needs and the location in West Ballina means that they can socialise with their neighbours, use local services and build long-term community relationships.

Kim

Meeting the local demand for SDA housing

There is significant demand for specialist disability housing in the Richmond Tweed region. According to the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), around 230 people already live in disability housing in the area, with another 80 places of unfilled demand.

The region is also growing quite rapidly in terms of projected people receiving NDIS funding. This is predicted to increase by 14% in 2026 and 46% by 2030. The demand for housing will also rise in line with these increases.

Michael Fuller, Casa Capace’s, CEO & Executive Director says, “We are excited to be delivering beautiful fit-for-purpose homes for Australians with disability in the Ballina region. In this region there have been many challenges across the construction sector, ranging from COVID-19, border closures, regional flooding and trades people at capacity. Despite these challenges we have been determined to finish this project and thank our residents and partners for their patience.

“Casa Capace homes are designed with the future in mind and are adaptable for the changing needs of our residents. Features include wiring in place for automation if required, structural supports for ceilings hoists and other assistive technologies required so people with disability can live as independently as possible. The social impact of our homes goes well beyond our residents. It also positively impacts their families, support workers and the community. We are looking forward to our residents moving in and making these homes their homes,” explains Michael.

Martika is looking forward to moving into her dream home

Martika is excited to be moving out of home for the first time at age 29. She will be moving into our new Ballina home with two other residents.  Her parents are pleased that their daughter is moving to her next phase of independence and are happy with the quality of her first share house.

Boosting local employment

Kim says that as well as providing more housing options for people with disability, this development represents a significant boost to local employment.

“Supporting people with disability in housing such as this requires round-the-clock staff. We are really pleased that this represents at least 20 sustainable jobs for people in Ballina. These people will be joining our team that already provides in-home support and day programs for other customers in the region. It’s not just one house. We are developing more houses with Casa Capace in the area, creating even more  employment opportunities.”

By joining forces with Northcott, Casa Capace is able to tap into the NDIS SDA demand in the region, ensuring that people with disability have quality housing choices, close to their family and friends.

Housing Northcott Ballina