How to Get HPS SDA Included in Your Plan
What Is HPS SDA Housing?
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) is a category of NDIS funding that covers the cost of purpose-built housing for people with very high support needs. According to the NDIS website, SDA funding is allocated to the dwelling itself, separate from the daily support services a participant receives inside it.
Within SDA, there are four design categories. High Physical Support (HPS) is built for people with significant physical impairments who need a high level of personal support. These homes are not clinical or institutional; they are beautiful, purpose-built residences engineered with advanced technology and structural features to make everyday life easier and more independent.
How HPS SDA differs from other design categories
Each SDA design category addresses a distinct set of needs. The table below outlines the key differences:
SDA Design Category | Designed For | Defining Features |
Improved Liveability (IL) | Sensory, cognitive or intellectual impairment | Enhanced lighting, wayfinding, reduced sensory triggers |
Fully Accessible (FA) | Significant physical disability | Step-free access, wider doorways, accessible bathrooms |
High Physical Support (HPS) | Complex physical disability requiring intensive daily support | All FA features plus ceiling hoist provision, back-up power, overnight support room |
Robust | Behaviours of concern or psychosocial disability requiring a secure, resilient home | Reinforced construction, secure design, ligature-resistant fittings, soundproofing |
The NDIS SDA Design Standard sets out the specific technical requirements each category must meet. HPS is the only category that mandates high-level structural provisions for mobility equipment and emergency power.
Who is HPS SDA designed for?
HPS SDA is appropriate for NDIS participants who have a significant and permanent physical disability. They typically require a high level of personal support for daily tasks like transferring out of bed, showering, or moving around the home.
Common diagnoses for people living in HPS homes include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Cerebral palsy
- Muscular dystrophy
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Severe physical disabilities requiring powered mobility equipment
What Features Does an HPS SDA Home Include?
Understanding the mandatory features of an HPS dwelling helps you ensure a property genuinely meets your needs. The NDIS SDA Design Standard specifies exactly what every registered HPS home must include.
Structural Provisions for Ceiling Hoists
To make transferring safe and comfortable, HPS homes are built with reinforced ceilings in the bedrooms and bathrooms. This structural provision means a ceiling hoist can be easily installed, safely supporting the resident and protecting support workers from lifting injuries.
Smart Home Technology & Automation
Independence is a core focus of HPS design. These homes feature smart technology that allows residents to control their environment using voice commands, custom switches, or a tablet. This typically includes automated:
Doors and entryways
Blinds and window coverings
Lighting and climate control (air conditioning)
Emergency Backup Power
For participants who rely on essential medical equipment (such as breathing apparatus or specialised adjustable beds), power outages can be dangerous. HPS homes are required to have an emergency backup power supply to keep critical equipment running safely for several hours if the main grid fails.
Expansive Layouts and Accessibility
For participants who rely on essential medical equipment (such as breathing apparatus or specialised adjustable beds), power outages can be dangerous. HPS homes are required to have an emergency backup power supply to keep critical equipment running safely for several hours if the main grid fails.
Who Qualifies for HPS SDA Funding in NSW?
NDIS eligibility criteria
SDA funding is allocated to those whose disability results in very high support needs and for whom SDA is considered reasonable and necessary as part of their NDIS plan. To access SDA funding generally, you need to demonstrate that your disability involves extreme functional impairment or very high support needs and that standard or modified housing cannot adequately meet those needs.
To access High Physical Support specifically, you must provide evidence that you require intensive support for mobility and daily living. This usually means showing that you need features like a ceiling hoist, smart home automation, and wide pathways to live safely and independently.
How to get HPS SDA included in your NDIS plan
Getting HPS SDA approved requires strong, well-documented evidence.
- Occupational Therapist (OT): An OT with experience in SDA housing is crucial. They will assess your physical capabilities, mobility needs, and daily routines to recommend the HPS category.
- Assistive Technology Needs: You will also need to outline the specific equipment you use (like power wheelchairs or hoists) and why standard housing cannot accommodate them.
Note: SDA (the physical house) and Supported Independent Living or SIL (the daily support workers) are funded separately. Many HPS residents have both.
What if SDA is not yet in your plan?
If SDA isn't in your plan yet, you can request a plan review. While you wait, transitional options like Medium Term Accommodation (MTA) can provide a safe, accessible place to live, which is especially helpful if you are transitioning out of a hospital or aged care.
Why Auburn for HPS SDA Housing?
Location is just as important as the home itself. A highly accessible HPS home in a poorly connected suburb can make life difficult. Auburn is a fantastic, well-connected choice for NDIS participants.
Location and transport connections
Auburn is located in the Cumberland local government area in Western Sydney, approximately 20 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD. Auburn train station sits on the T2 Inner West and Leppington Line, providing direct rail access to the CBD in approximately 35 minutes, as well as connections to Parramatta, Lidcombe and Strathfield. For participants who attend medical appointments, allied health sessions or community activities across Western Sydney, this connectivity is genuinely practical.
The suburb is also well-served by bus routes linking to surrounding areas across Cumberland LGA. This makes it accessible for participants who travel by public transport or who rely on support workers to assist with community participation.
Proximity to health and disability services
For HPS residents, easy access to medical and allied health care is often a top priority. Auburn sits incredibly close to Westmead Hospital—one of Australia's largest hubs for rehabilitation, neurology, and spinal cord injury services (just 10 minutes away). Auburn Hospital also provides excellent local care, reducing the stress of traveling long distances for appointments.
A well-supported Western Sydney community
Auburn and the broader Cumberland LGA have a well-established network of disability support services, community organisations and allied health providers. Western Sydney is identified as a high-demand corridor for SDA housing in NSW, reflecting both the density of the population and the concentration of disability services infrastructure in the region.
For participants moving into HPS SDA, having access to a range of community supports, social participation opportunities and local services within reasonable distance of home contributes meaningfully to everyday wellbeing and longer-term independence.
KinKera Community: HPS SDA Housing in Auburn, NSW
At KinKera Community, we design and manage purpose-built HPS residences in Auburn with one focus: creating homes where our residents can live safely, comfortably and with genuine independence.
Our Auburn SDA residences are built to the full NDIS SDA Design Standard for the HPS design category. Every feature of our homes reflects the real needs of the people who live in them, not just the minimum requirements of the standard.
Our Auburn SDA residences
Our Auburn properties meet and exceed the full NDIS SDA Design Standard for the HPS category. Features include:
- State-of-the-art smart home automation (lighting, blinds, doors)
- Structural provisions for ceiling hoists
- Backup power supplies
- Customised, fully accessible kitchens and bathrooms
- An On-Site Overnight Assistance (OOA) room for 24/7 support workers
Beyond the structural requirements, our homes are designed to feel like homes—with abundant natural light, private outdoor areas, and high-quality finishes.
We work closely with incoming residents and their support teams well before move-in day to ensure the home’s assistive technology is customised perfectly to their needs. Visit our Auburn SDA residences page for current availability.
KinConcierge: the support behind the home
What distinguishes a KinKera residence from a registered SDA dwelling is not only what we build. It is how we support the people who live with us. OurKinConcierge support service is available to all KinKera residents, providing a dedicated point of contact for day-to-day questions, service coordination and assistance navigating the supports connected to their home.
KinConcierge is not a replacement for SIL or allied health services. It is an additional layer of responsive, person-centred support that helps residents feel genuinely settled in their home, not just accommodated in it. We believe the relationship between a resident and their SDA provider matters. KinConcierge is how we make that relationship practical and meaningful.
You can also explore KinKera's SDA properties across Australia if you are considering other locations alongside Auburn.
How Do You Access HPS SDA in Auburn?
Working with your support coordinator
A support coordinator with experience in SDA housing is your most valuable ally when searching for a HPS SDA home in Auburn. They can help you understand your funding, identify registered providers with suitable vacancies, match a property to your specific support needs and manage the logistics of transition. If you do not currently have a support coordinator, speak to your NDIA planner about having coordination of supports included in your plan.
For participants who are still building their evidence base or awaiting SDA approval, registering interest early through a provider's scouting process can significantly reduce wait times once funding is in place. You can register your interest for upcoming KinKera properties through our Scouting Hub to stay informed about availability in Auburn and other locations.
What to ask when inspecting a HPS SDA home
Not every property marketed as HPS SDA is built to the same standard. When inspecting a home, ask the provider for their SDA registration certificate and confirm that the design category is listed as HPS. Check that ligature-resistant bathroom fittings, reinforced construction and secure outdoor spaces are physically present in the home, not described as planned future additions. Ask who manages ongoing maintenance, what the response time is for repairs and how the provider supports the transition process for new residents.
A quality HPS SDA provider will welcome these questions. The answers will tell you a great deal about how seriously they take their responsibility to the people living in their homes.
FAQs:
What is the difference between Robust SDA and High Physical Support SDA?
Robust SDA is designed for participants whose disability involves behaviours of concern that may cause damage to standard housing or require a secure, reinforced environment. High Physical Support (HPS) SDA is designed for participants who require intensive physical assistance, such as ceiling hoists, back-up power for life-sustaining equipment and overnight support worker accommodation. The two categories address different needs. A participant's eligibility for each is assessed separately based on their specific disability and functional requirements.
Can I have SIL funding alongside HPS SDA?
Yes. SDA covers the cost of the physical home, while Supported Independent Living (SIL) covers the cost of your daily support workers. The two funding lines work together, and HPS homes often feature a separate room specifically for your SIL support workers to stay overnight.
How long does it take to get HPS SDA funding approved?
Timelines vary. Participants who submit a highly detailed evidence base (including a thorough OT functional capacity assessment and housing needs report) tend to move through the process faster.
Is Auburn well-serviced for NDIS participants?
Yes. Auburn is part of the Cumberland LGA, which boasts a strong network of disability support providers and allied health services. Its proximity to major medical hubs like Westmead makes it highly practical for participants with complex physical needs.
Does KinKera have HPS SDA homes in Auburn?
Yes. KinKera Community develops and manages purpose-built HPS SDA residences in Auburn, NSW, backed by our dedicated KinConcierge service.
Conclusion
High Physical Support SDA housing in Auburn gives NDIS participants with significant physical support needs a home that truly empowers them. It combines advanced assistive technology, premium accessibility, and crucial safety features to create a genuine, comfortable home.
Auburn’s location in Western Sydney, with its excellent transport links and proximity to major health infrastructure like Westmead Hospital, makes it an ideal choice.
At KinKera Community, our Auburn HPS residences are purpose-built and fully registered. Visit our Auburn SDA residences page to learn more about current availability or get in touch with our team to talk through your options.
