About Us
Our Story
The Housing Hub was started by the Summer Foundation as a social impact initiative to support the development of the fledgling Specialist Disability Accommodation market in July 2017.
Housing Hub became the new way for people with disability to find suitable housing and housing providers were able to list properties located across Australia including SDA, non-SDA accessible homes, private rentals and properties for sale. By the end of 2017, the Housing Hub had 4 staff members, 26 property listings on the website, and had supported 12 people to apply for SDA funding and receive an offer for a new home.
In 2019 the Housing Hub website was completely redeveloped based on co-design workshops held with people with disability, their supporters and housing providers.
With the launch of the new website Housing Hub introduced a range of features and services with a focus on enabling quality housing options. Some of these include:
- The Housing Seeker Profile feature that allows housing seekers to enter their chosen locations, housing support needs and preferences. When a property listing matches their search criteria, they’ll automatically receive a notification
- Our NDIS Housing Advice Line supports people with disability, their families, and their supporters to understand NDIS funding streams and help navigate their housing and support options
- A provider portal to manage listings, provider landing pages, market data reports and a variety of services to help SDA providers showcase their properties and find tenants
When the Housing Hub was formed, we had a vision to host a library of useful information about housing options and planning a move in the future. Now we host an extensive database of helpful articles, videos, and information packs while also offering free events co-facilitated by our lived experience team who have experience finding the right home.
Following the redevelopment of the website, the Housing Hub became a valuable source of data about the accessible housing market. As a result, Housing Hub regularly publishes reports to provide valuable insights that inform policymakers and stakeholders in the market, leading to developers building the types of SDA people want to live in and where they want to live.
In 2021 Housing Hub launched a Home and Living Specialist Service to provide NDIS Participants with high-quality support for Home and Living Funding requests.
Housing Hub Training
In 2023 Housing Hub launched Housing Hub Training (formally UpSkill), a platform that equips professionals with the confidence and skills needed to effectively support people with disability to live well in the community.
Housing Hub Training offers a variety of learning modes, catering to the varied learning styles of professionals within the sector. The training content doesn't just draw from industry expertise; it is co-designed or reviewed by people with lived experience of disability, ensuring a comprehensive and empathetic approach to training. Offering tailored training options and practical tips applicable to real-world scenarios, Housing Hub Training is dedicated to enhancing how professionals can make a meaningful impact on the lives of people with disability.