Housing principles for inclusive communities
People should have choice over where they live and who they live with.
Housing should not only be safe, but also designed to be accessible, adaptable and meet people’s changing needs. It should be easy to access, navigate, visit, and live in comfortably.
In 2022, we consulted with older people, and people with disability and their families, to better understand their housing preferences.
People told us they want affordable, accessible, and secure housing that:
- supports independence
- offers more choices
- ensures long-term stability
- includes universal design
- separates housing management from support services.
To help achieve more inclusive communities for Queenslanders, we partnered with Queensland Government agencies, the Queenslanders with Disability Network (QDN), Griffith University, and National Shelter to co-design 4 housing principles:
- Rights.
- Choice.
- Control.
- Inclusion.
These principles aim to make life better for people who may face challenges in finding safe, accessible, and affordable housing. The principles also ensure that people have a say in their housing and living arrangements.
Although these principles were created with people with disability and older people in mind, they are useful for all Queenslanders when it comes to housing design and service delivery responses.
The principles offer practical advice for many people, including:
- people with disability, older people, and their supporters
- housing and homelessness service providers
- support providers
- allied health professionals
- architects and designers
- builders and construction workers.
By following these principles, we can help make sure that a person's house is their home.
The 4 principles
1. Rights
People have the same rights to housing and support as people without disability, and they are encouraged and supported to use those rights.
Housing needs to:
- be designed to suit people of all ages and abilities
- allow people to live in their homes (age in place) through all stages of their life, or as their needs change
- make it possible for family and friends to visit, regardless of their age or disability
- ensure people with disability can access the same housing opportunities as people without disability and are not forced into a particular living or shared housing arrangement.
2. Control
People have different organisations providing their housing and support. Keeping these services separate helps improve housing security and provides important safeguards.
Housing needs to:
- ensure no single organisation has too much control over a person’s life
- allow people to choose their disability support provider and change their support arrangements without it affecting their housing, and vice versa
- ensure residents are empowered to use their tenancy rights over their home
- be a person’s home, not a workplace for paid service/support staff.
3. Choice
People have choice about where they live, who they live with, and who comes into their home and when.
Housing needs to:
- be promoted in different ways so people with disability and older people can make informed decisions about the housing solution that best meets their needs and preferences
- make sure people with disability have a say about their housing and living arrangements, and choose who provides their supports and when
- reflect individual circumstances, including cultural background and locational preferences
- use different funding sources to maximise innovative, suitable, and affordable housing solutions across various housing types,(such as public and community housing, private rental, owner occupation, and specialist disability accommodation.
4. Inclusion
People have access to suitable housing that is safe, accessible, provides them with pathways to independence, and supports their full participation in the community.
Housing needs to:
- be a person’s home, not a facility, and have a design and layout that is similar to other homes in the community
- be part of the community and close to transport, leisure activities, amenities, and services to create diverse and inclusive communities
- encourage a mix of residents with and without disability in housing developments or apartment blocks, and an alternative to group home models
- follow Universal Design principles and include assistive technology where needed.
Development of the principles
The principles align with the intent of the:
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- National Disability Insurance Scheme
- Australia's Disability Strategy 2021–2031.
The principles apply to mainstream housing responses, as well as specialist disability accommodation.
More information
- Housing help for people with disability
- Get housing advice and help
- Information for people with disability