Livable Housing Australia ceased operations on 30 June 2025.

Livable Housing Australia

From 30 June 2025 LHA ceased operations. 

If you are looking for registered Livable Housing Guideline Assessors, to register as a Livable Housing Guideline Assessor or to access the Livable Housing Design Guidelines go to: 

https://accessinstitute.com.au/livable-housing-design/

Livable Housing Australia (LHA) had long been at the forefront of advocating for livable housing design and communities across Australia, championing the voluntary adoption of its Livable Housing Design Guidelines for housing. Founded in June 2011 by members of the Universal Housing Dialogue, LHA was a not-for-profit dedicated to driving the strategic directions of the National Dialogue and promoting the Livable Housing Design Guidelines (LHDG’s).

The LHDG’s established a baseline for universal design principles and access for design and as-built dwellings in Australia.

Over the past 12 years, LHA operated on a limited budget, relying on industry and corporate support to sustain its operations after government funding ceased. However, industry support dwindled since 2019, with only organisations such as Master Builders Australia, the Property Council of Australia, and PowerHousing continuing to provide financial support and providing management time to contribute to board service.

With the inclusion of the ABCB Livable Housing Design Standard in the National Construction Code (NCC) and the requirement for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Dwellings to adhere to the SDA Design Standards, the need for LHA’s policy and administrative leadership  lessened.

Given these circumstances, coupled with the transition to mandatory regulatory requirements and the lack of further government funding, the LHA Board made the strategic decision to wind up the organisation. LHA ceased operations on 30 June 2025.

Livable Housing Design Guidelines Fourth Edition was produced by LHA with input from LHA’s industry reference group and published in 2017. This is the final edition of the Livable Housing Design Guidelines, and no updates will be done to Livable Housing Design Guidelines Fourth Edition.

 LHDG’s have raised community awareness and informed development of the following:

• 2022 National Construction Code (NCC) minimum standard regulatory pathway adapted from the LHDGs Silver performance level.
• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Supported Disability Accommodation (SDA) design standards.
• The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) beyond minimum voluntary standard for livable housing design adapted from LHDGs Gold performance level.

LHA acknowledges there will still be demand in the marketplace for LHA Assessors. Therefore, LHA worked with Access Institute to develop an alternative process for LHA Assessors wishing to continue to operate as LHA Design Guideline Assessors and to transition to a new administrative regime overseen by Access Institute.

LHA has granted rights to the Access Institute to provide an administration regime to continue registration of LHA Assessors. The administration regime provided by Access Institute maintains the key requirements for LHA Assessors, namely:
• Ensuring professional currency from one of the six prerequisite professions streams: Architects, Building Designers, Builders, Occupational Therapists, Access Consultants and Building Surveyors.
• Ensuring currency of professional indemnity insurance with minimum two million dollars of coverage.
• Ensuring an up-to-date LHA Assessor code of conduct is in place, and
• Ensuring all training requirements have been met.

From 1 July 2025 all LHA Assessor registrations with LHA lapsed and LHA Assessors  no longer have the authority to assess and certify designs or as built dwellings under the LHA assessment criteria, register assessments with LHA, or use the LHA assessment forms or logos.

LHA has granted permission to the Access Institute to re-brand the LHA Assessment forms and Certificates to include Access Institute’s logo, continue to offer LHA Assessor training to those wishing to become LHA Assessors, and list LHA Design Guideline Assessors registered under the Access Institute’s administration regime on the access institute website.

All LHA Assessors wishing to transition and receive updated logos, assessment forms and other required documentation necessary to operate as an LHA Design Guideline Assessor, and to be advertised on the LHA Design Guideline Assessor listing on the access institute administered website, need to complete the required documentation and provide copies of relevant current prerequisites and insurance proofs and pay the annual administration fee.

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