Simon Schofield is one rent increase away from possibly losing the house that's changed his life.
Mr Schofield has an intellectual disability and lives with two housemates in an independent share house.
"There's a saying that there's a little bit of love in this house," he said.
"It's good vibes, and we get along like a house on fire. It's friendly and positive and happy, and we have a lot of fun."
The home he lives in is supported by Hunter disability service Clear Sky Australia.
Its co-founder, Chris Gibson, said Mr Schofield's place was a real example of modern disability living.
"The word group home is a bit of a dirty word and historically speaking, opportunities for people with a disability to move into shared living was very much a crisis-driven model," he said.
"You may have noticed when you come in, there's nothing here that would make you think that it's a house supporting people with a disability," Mr Gibson said.
It's a normal rental, in a regular street, in a popular Hunter suburb.
Backyard cricket a favourite
Mr Schofield was part of the 2019 All Abilities Cricket team. He has also represented Australia in the Special Olympics cricket team.
With the ball in hand, Mr Schofield's best figures are seven wickets for nine runs, and he's preparing to represent his state and hopefully his country again this year.
But backyard cricket is a favourite, and he obviously has a slight advantage.
Inside, Mr Schofield and his housemates are in charge of all the decisions that impact their life and are supported by staff to make that happen.
"I make some good decisions or some bad decisions, but at the end of the day, I'm a grown adult and a man, and that's how an adult should be," he said.
"That's who I am."
Mr Gibson said that for people like Mr Schofield, it was all about giving them a choice.
"Simon chooses where he lives, who he lives with, and the supports he has in place," Mr Gibson said.
"He sits on the interview panel and helps us decide who's going to work with him and share his space. It's his house."
Rental stress biting
The Disability Royal Commission, which is sitting this week, has previously investigated homelessness and housing.
It has heard high costs for care places and under-staffed facilities have led to poor health outcomes across Australia.
The style of independent disability living Mr Schofield lives relies on the rental market.
Mr Gibson says as prices increase, so does the pressure on households like Mr Schofield's to afford rising rents.
"We're in crisis right now and everyone's aware of it," he said.
Clear Sky Australia co-founder Patrick Bellamy says they had three women sharing a house in Hamilton South, but their rent went up suddenly.
"One day, they got a letter in the mailbox from the landlord saying their rent was going up by $150 a week," Mr Bellamy said.
"Can you imagine an application you get for a rental? You've got someone who has a higher paying job, or you've got three people on disability pension. It just never works in their favour, unfortunately."
For Mr Schofield, the share house has been transformational.
He has learnt to cook, and he attends various programs during the week.
Mr Schofield is dreaming of the day when he and his fellow housemate Dan might move into a house of their own.
"It makes me feel like a better person," he said.
"It's good to have good things in life. To be happy and just be yourself."
Mr Bellamy said the community needed to change their perception of disability housing.
"I think what people are really missing out on is these guys are actually the best tenants," Mr Bellamy said.
"They're paying their bills on time, they upkeep the yard and the house, and they're not going anywhere.
"They're long-term tenants and that can be hard to find."
