Disability housing is under fresh scrutiny after an ABC Four Corners investigation found more than $100 million in investor funds has vanished from a program meant to deliver long-term homes for people with disabilities. The probe highlights aggressive marketing, unrealistic returns, and weak oversight around parts of the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) market.
What the investigation found
- Schemes pitched “social good” alongside high yields, drawing in hundreds of investors before unravelling.
- Systemic gaps in regulation allowed operators to move fast while accountability lagged.
Why it matters for participants
- When projects fail, people with disabilities face delayed or unsuitable housing, and promised “forever homes” don’t materialise. Prior warnings flagged “cowboys” touting guaranteed returns in SDA—signals that risk often sits with participants and communities.
What needs to change
- Tighter gatekeeping of promoters and products targeting SDA investors.
- Transparent pipelines from funding to keys-in-doors, with independent build and tenancy verification.
- Faster enforcement and public reporting by regulators; authorities have stepped up broader NDIS fraud actions, but housing-specific oversight needs sharper tools.
Bottom line SDA can unlock real independence—but only when capital, regulation and delivery line up. Until then, disability housing will remain exposed to hype and harm.
