The home of possibility

A suitable home does much more than provide shelter. It shapes our independence, our relationships, our wellbeing and our sense of belonging. When a home works against someone’s needs, the consequences can reach into every part of their life. I am writing this in support of and with Flynn, a young man with a double degree, a wheelchair and all his life before him . Flynn is a friend to us at Laura Fergusson and part of our network to guide our considered co-design of homes.

For people with physical disabilities, unsuitable housing can make everyday tasks harder or impossible. Cooking, showering, opening a door or moving between rooms may require assistance, not because the person lacks capability, but because the environment has not been designed for them. That loss of control can have a profound effect on mental health.

People with physical disabilities are significantly more likely to experience a deterioration in their mental health than the general population. Housing is not the only cause, but it is an important and often overlooked part of the picture. When someone cannot move freely around their home, make ordinary choices or participate in their community, isolation and frustration can quickly take hold.

The shortage of suitable housing also leaves people living in circumstances that none of us should accept. Young people with physical disabilities are still being placed in aged-care facilities because there are no appropriate alternatives available. In Auckland, more than 950 disabled people over the age of 40 are living with elderly parents, many of whom are increasingly worried about how they will continue providing support and what will happen to their son or daughter when they no longer can.

At Laura Fergusson Trust, we want to help create a different future. Our permanent accessible-housing programme is designed to give people a secure home in their own community, with the freedom and support to live as independently as possible.

Our plans are ambitious. We are working towards a programme that could deliver 160 homes across 40 Auckland sites, supported by a targeted $100 million property fund and additional financing. The homes would be distributed across North, South, East, West and Central Auckland, because disabled people should be able to live near their families, friends, workplaces and established support networks.

The proposed design, developed with Jasmax, places four independent homes on a standard parcel of land. We describe it as a four-leaf clover: four private homes brought together in a way that makes good use of the site without creating an institution. Developments would be limited to no more than four homes at one address, allowing residents to be part of the surrounding neighbourhood rather than separated from it.

Technology and thoughtful co-design will be central to each home. Accessible kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces can allow residents to carry out more daily tasks themselves. Automated doors, adaptable fittings and other technologies can reduce the need for manual assistance while giving each person greater privacy and control.

That matters to residents, but it also makes sense for the wider support system. Investing in the right environment from the outset can reduce the number of paid care hours someone needs over their lifetime. More importantly, it puts the focus where it belongs: not on trying to change the person, but on creating an environment in which they can flourish.

We are also progressing a new disability housing contract that would allow Laura Fergusson Trust to act as both landlord and housing advocate while care is provided separately. This separation is important. A person’s right to remain in their home should not depend on staying with one care provider. Housing security gives people greater choice and makes it easier for them to speak up when something is not working.

We have identified our first prospective care partner, and we are preparing to begin construction on the first sites. The programme will require partnerships across government, finance, construction, disability support and the wider community. It will also require us to keep listening to the people who will live in these homes.

Flynn’s experience brings the purpose of this work into sharp focus. For him, independence is not an abstract idea. It is being able to decide how he lives, carry out everyday tasks and have the same privacy and dignity other people take for granted. A well-designed home cannot remove every barrier, but it can stop the home itself from being one.

That is ultimately what this programme is about.

• We want ageing parents to know there is a trusted pathway ahead for their adult children.
• We want young disabled people to have an alternative to aged care.
• We want people with physical disabilities to live as citizens within their communities, in homes that support their independence rather than restrict it.

Housing alone will not solve our mental health challenges. But when we provide people with security, autonomy, connection and dignity, we create far stronger foundations for wellbeing. A home should never be another obstacle to overcome. It should be the place from which a person can build their life, physically disabled people are as vibrant, equal and full of life as the rest of us.