A critical housing shortage could mean people with a disability are forced to move into shared homes or live with their families longer once the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is rolled out in the ACT, service providers have warned.
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An estimated 1200 people with a disability will need affordable housing in the territory after the phased trial begins on July 1, figures from the National Disability Services' ACT branch showed.
That shortage will be the focus of a forum on disability, housing and the NDIS which starts in Canberra on Friday.
More than 200 representatives from housing, disability and government sectors will meet to discuss how they can work together to help NDIS recipients access appropriate housing.
Community Housing Federation of Australia executive director Carol Croce said the extra support available through the scheme would mean more people in the community could live independently.
She said this would lead to an increased demand for supported housing which providers could struggle to meet.
Capital Community Housing chief executive Faye Minty said the shortage would limit options for young people with a disability who did not want to stay at home with their families or live in shared accommodation.
''Most of us love our families but there comes a time when young people need to spread their wings and live independently,'' Ms Minty said.
''And shared housing is a good option for some people but for others it's not and it's unreasonable to assume people want to live in that environment for the rest of their lives.''
Ms Minty hoped the forum would help providers broaden the scope of housing available to people with a disability.
''The public housing system isn't the only place people with a disability want to live.
''We need to look at private ownership and shared equity projects as well.
''If people don't get housing or they don't get housed appropriately, we've failed the NDIS system.
''It's not all about housing, but it is about choice and control.''
The forum, which runs over two days, will also look at other options such as housing supply bonds, the National Rental Affordability Scheme and changes to planning systems to encourage affordable housing.
A trial scheme will see about 5075 people with a disability in the ACT gradually transition to the NDIS during a two-year period.
