The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) faces a huge shortfall in disability housing when it is fully rolled out in 2020.

Key points: About 27,000 people will need specialised disability accommodation in 2020

About 27,000 people will need specialised disability accommodation in 2020 NDIS agency wants to encourage market to build specialised housing to help address shortfall

NDIS agency wants to encourage market to build specialised housing to help address shortfall NDIS will pay $105,000 to a person requiring high physical support to go towards a two-bed apartment

The NDIS estimates 6 per cent of 460,000 participants will require disability housing.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), which runs the scheme, says costs to meet demand have been factored in to its $22 billion budget.

It estimates at least 27,000 people eligible for the scheme will require specialised disability accommodation (SDA), however most of that housing has not yet been built.

The NDIA is moving to address the disability housing crunch.

It has released a decision paper that includes amounts of payments the NDIS will make to participants in the scheme who require SDA.

For a person with a disability who requires high physical support, the NDIS will pay $105,000 towards providing a new two bedroom apartment.

An NDIS participant with lower support needs would receive $46,000 for an apartment that provides "improved liveability".

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The NDIS payment schedule is intended to be an incentive to help establish a market to provide disability housing.

Banks, developers and investors are all being courted.

"By publishing information on SDA pricing and payments, the [scheme] aims to encourage the market to develop and meet the demand for SDA from participants," the NDIA said in a statement.

"A competitive and innovative market is vital to the delivery of the NDIS."

Parent-assisted housing model draws interest

The NDIS has also been holding showcases to encourage people with a disability and care providers to consider different kinds of disability accommodation.

Steve Anthony's son Patrick lives with two other men in a co-op organised by their parents. ( ABC: Norman Hermant )

One model that has attracted a lot of interest is a home in the Sydney suburb of Chatswood, where three families with young men all living with autism formed their own co-operative.

"The parents know what their sons want and need," Steve Anthony said.

His 27-year-old son Patrick lives in the house, called PaRA Co-op, which stands for parent-assisted residential accommodation.

Mr Anthony convinced the NSW Government to combine the house residents' disability support packages to pay for rent and care.

He said he was convinced the model could work for the NDIS.

"We can provide a much better quality service for these young men, at less cost to the Government than if they were in a normal group home," he said.

The families of the house residents said it was a win-win situation.

"He's demonstrated far more enjoyment with life," Mark Goodmanson said, speaking about his 28-year-old son, Hayden.

"His daily living [has] improved out of sight, and my life's improved out of sight."

Specialised apartment provides independent living

In Melbourne, there is another model that has been attracting attention.

Artist Billy Hurley, 43, has lived for two decades with an acquired brain injury.

His home is one of six units planned for people with a disability when a 57-unit complex was built two years ago.

Mr Hurley, who communicates through a text-to-speech device, welcomed the independence that comes with living on his own.

"I can see the sun setting [and] not be told to move," he said, speaking through his device.

The not-for-profit Summer Foundation provided the unit for Mr Hurley.

It is particularly interested in ensuring disabled housing units are included in buildings when they are built because it is much cheaper than renovating existing units to current accessibility standards.

"We have to increase the housing stock," the foundation's Carolyn Finis said.

"We could do more of the same, and we could keep doing that. Or we could use this as an opportunity to really be innovative."