New special needs home designed by own clients
Soon-to-be-constructed special needs home at north Orange is the future of disability accommodation — Westhaven services believes.
The four-bedroom home is unique in that it has not only been designed for those with special needs, but by those with the same disabilities that it aims to service.
The home will be the second-ever built of this new model for special accommodation in the region in a special collaboration with Excelsior Housing Services.
Orange Mayor, Councillor Reg Kidd and Westhaven’s CEO, Andrew Everett recently turned the first sod — and threw the first shovelful — of soil for the Brown Street project.
“Group homes were the old way of delivering services, with this home, you won’t be able to tell the difference from the outside from any other house on the street,” Penny Gibbs, General Manager of Adult Disability Services with Westhaven said.
“There will be improved liveability in this house that has been purpose-built for its clients,” she added. “It will feature individualised care for each of its residents.”
Westhaven — in its partnership with Excelsior Housing Services — will begin the construction of the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) home in June with tenants moving in by early next year.
“SDA properties delivers more options for improved liveability to those who live with disability and will allow greater independence and quality of life for people to live while being supported in their homes,” Ms Gibbs explained.
Clients with disabilities had played a central role in its unique design, Mr Everett added. “It’s been purpose-designed with both architects and people with disabilities.
He said that this “co-design process” will provide a facility that is “sector-leading in what is a disability home. It will be an exceptional place to live.”
“Excelsior Housing Services has taken an innovative approach through co-design input from architects, participants, and Westhaven staff about what makes a great home.
“Excelsior Housing Services and Westhaven model supports choice and control through ensuring better housing outcomes for people with a disability while providing social impact investment for investors,” Mr Everett said.
Cr Kidd said that the project represented: “a great partnership that Westhaven has taken on with Excelsior. it’s unique in that the people who are going to live here have had input into the accommodation.”
With an Investment pipeline of several million dollars in new property development in the next 18 months, the Orange sod-turning is the first of nine new homes to be built in the region, about half of which will be located in Orange.
“I hope this is one of many to come; the need for specialised living is increasing, not decreasing, it’s not going away,” Cr Kidd concluded.