Almost one year after catastrophic floods devastated the New South Wales Northern Rivers region, the first round of voluntary buybacks has been offered to homeowners in the highest-risk flood zones.
The $700-million Resilient Homes Program, announced in October, is expected to offer about 2,000 buybacks for the purchase of a homeowner's house and land.
The program aims to support homeowners in the Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed local government areas.
Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) chief executive David Witherdin said the first formal offer was sent to a homeowner in Lismore on Thursday, February 16.
"Lismore is the epicentre of the impact … but there'll be a number of buyback offers put on the table in other areas across the Northern Rivers," Mr Witherdin said.
Mr Witherdin says 190 people have been contacted to arrange a buyback assessment ahead of formal offers being made to those homeowners over the coming months.
"By the end of this week, we would have been in contact with around the first 350 people in the highest-risk homes that we believe are eligible," he said.
"We're on track to have at least 250 formal offers on the table by the end of April."
Community 'confused', anxious
While the news of the buybacks is welcome, residents like Crystal Lenane from East Lismore are frustrated by the process.
"The rollout of the buyback scheme has left us confused and created anxiety because we know there is a limited budget," Ms Lenane said.
"There has been talk of eligibility and zones but it has been so vague that no one knows where they sit."
Almost one year after the flood, Ms Lenane and her family are living in substandard conditions.
"Our home still doesn't have a kitchen, bathroom, or walls. We are living in a caravan under our home," she said.
"It still feels like we are living the event every day."
North Lismore resident Donna Walker said she was hoping to receive news on her application in the coming months.
"Because we live close to the river, I think we've become one of the first streets to be offered the opportunity to apply for the buyback," Ms Walker said.
Ms Walker said "the world changed" during last year's devastating flood.
"A year ago, before the flood, I was looking at a future of living here forever," she said.
However, now Ms Walker is planning to relocate outside of a flood zone.
An 'opportunity' to relocate: Perrottet
Mr Witherdin says each formal buyback offer will reflect a property's "pre-flood market valuation".
"Most people know it was a very strong real estate market at that point in time … prior to the flood," he said.
All residents registered with the Resilient Homes Program will be contacted about their eligibility for the program by mid-2023, Mr Witherdin says.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet says the community's flood recovery will be a "long journey that will take years".
"What we want to do is make sure that those people who are living in areas where there is substantial flood risk have the opportunity to relocate," he said.
"We also know some people won't want to take that up."
