Last week we revealed the figures for Gympie with regards to the Buy Back Scheme after the floods.
This week the State shared how other regions faired with regards to the Resilient Homes Fund with almost 500 offers accepted Statewide for buy-back following the 2022 flooding event.
According to a release from the State government, of those, 300 have now been settled and more than 100 homes have been demolished or removed.
The program, a jointly funded initiative delivered through Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), was established in May 2022 following the catastrophic 2021-22 rainfall and flooding events.
To date, 304 sale contracts under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program have already settled, and 110 homes have been demolished or removed, allowing the impacted residents to move to a safer location, without the risk of future flooding.
In total, 497 homeowners have accepted offers for buy-back out of the 676 offers which have been presented to homeowners so far.
A total of 789 valuation inspections have been undertaken so it is expected that the number of homes purchased under the program will increase significantly.
Minister for Emergency Management Senator Murray Watt said the scheme is a protection measure for the future.
“By helping people to relocate to less disaster-prone locations, we can help to defend against the horrific loss of life and property damage that we’ve seen in previous disasters,” he said.
“The Resilient Homes Fund has already delivered major relief to Queensland families who have now been moved to safer ground and it’s great to see the program making a real difference to people’s lives.”
Deputy Premier and the Minister responsible for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Steven Miles said future focus is the main drive of the Fund.
“Under the Resilient Homes Fund, voluntary home buy-back was identified for homes that were the most severely impacted and at the greatest risk of future flooding.
“Earlier this year we announced we were increasing the number of properties identified for buy-back from an initial estimate of 500 homes, to more than 800 properties.
“As home assessments of registered properties progressed and flood risk data was analysed, it became apparent there were more homes that should be candidates for buy-back.
“By doing so, we are enabling flood-impacted homeowners to accept life-changing offers, signalling a safer future for them and their families.
“The program is also ensuring that no future resident will have to suffer the same devastating impact of flooding in that location again.
“Following homeowner agreement for buy-back, the program funds the respective council to purchase the land, with all homes purchased under the program demolished or removed.
“The land is then re-zoned to an appropriate, non-occupied use such as green space,” he said.
“In early July, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority conducted its fourth and final round of damage assessments for the 2022 South East Queensland floods.
“Data from this operation revealed almost 90 per cent of impacted properties were no longer showing signs of damage.
“The knowledge we gain from these assessments allows us to focus our efforts on assisting those still recovering from natural disasters.
According to figures from the State, more than 6500 homeowners registered for the Resilient Homes Fund, which comprises of a range of home buybacks, house raising and retrofitting programs, prior to registrations closing on 30 July this year.
The Department of Energy and Public Works is managing the delivery of the retrofitting and house-raising components of the Resilient Homes Fund, while the Queensland Reconstruction Authority is managing the voluntary home buy-back program together with local governments.
For more on the Resilient Homes Fund, visit www.qld.gov.au/resilienthomes.
