Manjimup’s first specialised disability accommodation helps local families stay together in town

A new home specially designed for those living with disabilities has been built in Manjimup to give residents the option of supportive accommodation in the town. The new specialised disability accommodation facility can be rented by up to three people with a live-in carer also staying in the home to support their needs. Homeowner and developer Tony Warren said he partnered with Vera Living and Enable WA for the project as a way to give back to regional towns, inspired by similar housing arrangements in the metropolitan area. Mr Warren said after a feasibility study with Enable WA, he found people with a disability who needed to move out of home could no longer live in the town due to a lack of accommodation options. “Growing up in a small town, it just seems regional towns get less and less,” he said. “Why can’t people with disabilities have the same quality if they’re in a smaller regional area? “Hopefully it helps people stay in town, and then also keeps people in the area. It’s pretty special. It’s been really nice to see people be able to enjoy the benefit of it.” Mr Warren said he picked the Manjimup location because it was close to health facilities and a hospital. The four-bedroom unit included assisting technology and a kitchen with an adjustable electric bench for accessibility. David Sims from Vera Living said the team was approached by Mr Warren to develop the specialised home in Manjimup. “What we see from a client or a tenant perspective is this could be like a son or a daughter, and they’re now 30 or 35 years old, and they need to move out of home because their parents can’t care for them anymore from a physical standpoint,” Mr Sims said. Mr Sims said tenants would have “secure” five-year leases available, and praised Mr Warren for being committed to the community aspect of the project. “Vera Living doesn’t deal with any one that just wants to build these. We want to make sure they’re long-term assets, that people want to keep them for ages,” Mr Sims said. “The people who move into them need to know that there’s security in the home that they’re going to be in. That’s why we chose to work with him (Mr Warren). “As country towns experience, if someone comes in and makes money and then leaves, it doesn’t really help town.”