May flood relief: Uninsured owners and renters can apply for caravans, pods and 25k grants on Monday

Further support has been announced for those whose homes were made uninhabitable due to damage caused by the record-breaking floods in May across the Mid North Coast and Hunter regions.

The $50 million package includes temporary accommodation and grant funding for uninsured homeowners and low-income earning renters.

What is the support?

Temporary accommodation in the form of caravans and pods will be made available to eligible households and primary producers whose homes were inundated with flood water and made inhabitable. 

The self-contained accommodation will be placed close to the resident’s home – on their own land or someone else's with permission – while repairs are completed, or until they find longer-term housing. The caravans will be offered for an initial period of six months.

Self-contained pod homes were previously offered to primary producers by the NSW Reconstruction Authority to support farmers to continue working on their land. The pods are now also available for affected households.

If they are unable to repair damage themselves, homeowners and landlords who are uninsured and earn a pre-tax income of under $100,000 can also apply for grants up to $25,000, if flooding left non-functioning bathrooms or kitchens, or major structural damages to the roof walls or floors.

The funding is to help pay for repairs to uninhabitable properties. Landlords will need to commit to returning properties to the private rental market.

Impacted renters will be able apply for a flat-rate payment of $5,500 to help cover costs of settling in a new place, such as removalists, rental bonds and advance rent payments. The grant is open to tenants whose rental dwelling was made uninhabitable by the flood and whose household annual taxable income is below $100,000.

On Thursday, Mid North Coast and Hunter Recovery Coordinator Dave Owens said there were 39 people still in emergency accommodation as a result of the floods. 

“Individually, the Reconstruction Authority has spoken with those people to assess their needs, and moving forward will make sure under the housing package that we can address their needs wherever possible,” Owens said.

A dedicated Housing Recovery Service will operate from Monday for residents across the impacted areas, to assess individual circumstances, determine eligibility, recommend the most suitable assistance and provide support with the application process. 

“We are here to assist the community,” Owens said. “If you are struggling in any way please come forward and ask us for assistance. It is a really simple process [and] we can help you.”

The new housing assistance package was announced by the federal and state government on Thursday. Those eligible can apply for the grants from Monday (August 25).

From Monday, residents impacted by the floods in May can call the Housing Recovery Service on 1800 695 043 to access support. More information here.