Published 17th September 2012
Posted Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:02pm AEST
A new housing project in Canberra is set to provide independent living for people with an intellectual disability.
The ACT Government is partnering with business to develop three specially designed Canberra share houses.
The houses are being built in Harrison and will home up to 10 people with an intellectual disability.
There will also be room on site for live-in carers or support workers.
Community Services Minister Joy Burch says the tenants will continue to receive formal and informal support.
"Many people with a disability are still living within their family home and we know as young folk leave school and we all want to move out and be independent," she said.
"This is a great opportunity for families to establish their children, their young adult children into secure, safe accommodation."
Project spokesman Glenn Keys says it is a unique approach.
"Unique not just for the ACT but for Australia, in that the people will be able to purchase the homes that they're going to live in, the units they're going to live in and then at a later stage sell them for some returns," he said.
Ms Burch says she hopes to see more such homes built in the future.
"Our aim is to generate sufficient revenue from this development, to allow further housing developments to be created into the future," she said.
"This model builds on the features that underpin the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which will extend to unprecedented levels of support to people with disabilities and their families."
Construction is expected to start next year.
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