One of Australia’s leading not-for-profit disability support services is changing the lives of people living with disability by creating a stronger supply of specialist housing options with help from NAB.

Perth’s ‘Rocky Bay’ has been working with customers to increase their independence – no matter their age, disability or background – for more than 85 years.

Recently, the team embarked on a mission to develop their specialist housing offering by working with NAB to better understand their finance options and secure funding to build homes that offer people more independent living. For the first time in Rocky Bay’s 85-year history, they have sought finance to realise their vision.

Understanding the challenges and opportunities

While there have been no shortage of big ideas on how to improve their service, Rocky Bay CEO Michael Tait said challenges appeared when Rocky Bay looked to fund significant growth and development. This is where NAB was able to step in.

Good relationships with a shared purpose proved the key to success

Rocky Bay has been with NAB since 2021 when they secured their loan to develop accessible housing – a much-needed arena that Michael said has been heavily developed with NAB’s support.

“It has helped us to give many of our customers a home that they would never thought was possible. That’s been a really positive outcome of the NDIS thanks to the customer service we’ve received from NAB,” Michael said.

“With NAB’s support, we’ve been able to deliver $40 million worth of accessible housing. We are half-way through those developments, and we are now talking about the next stage.”

Rocky Bay’s specialist housing has been designed to offer customers homes that meet the diverse needs of people living with a disability. Design features include larger rooms, no stairs or steps, wider corridors and doorways, subtle structural supports for ceiling hoists and automation of key fixtures including lights.

Stage two – ready to grow

Rocky Bay is moving into ‘stage two’ of their specialist housing development, looking at stretching the boundaries and improving the lives of people they support through building more quality houses for their customers to call home.

NAB’s affordable and specialist housing target

NAB has set a target to lend $6 billion to affordable and specialist housing projects by 2029 to help more Australians access housing.

Target areas include specialist disability accommodation, development of social and affordable housing projects, and access to finance for low-income earners and essential workers through Government-supported housing schemes.

For more information about NAB’s target and to see how funding could help your not-for-profit, business or community, go to NAB News.

To find out more about Rocky Bay’s history and their services, visit www.rockybay.org.au