Broke residents devastated by last month's floods will be able to apply for $20,000 grants to help rebuild their lives.
The federal and state governments announced on Wednesday that the region would be included in a $47 million expansion of the Back Home grant program.
Last week, residents told the Newcastle Herald they faced repair bills of up to $80,000, with some potentially not returning to their homes for more than 12 months.
"There are a lot of residents who have been waiting a long time for this announcement," Broke Residents Community Association volunteer Angela Andonopoulos said.
"So many people are still either living in temporary accommodation or with friends. The grants won't go all the way, especially for people who are uninsured, but it lets them get back into their home and start returning to a sense of normality."
The grants are a one-off payment of up to $20,000, funded by the NSW and Australian governments, which initially covered people hit by severe weather and flood events in February and March.
On Wednesday, a joint statement from federal and state emergency ministers, along with the Premier and Prime Minister, said the Back Home grants will now extend to renters, landlords and homeowners impacted by the June and July floods.
Available across 17 local government areas including Cessnock (Broke), Maitland, Port Stephens and the Central Coast, the grants will be for clean-up costs and to help residents restore their homes to a "habitable construction".
"This program will help their homes to become habitable again by contributing to the cost of replacing appliances, reconnecting utilities, fixing roofs, connecting electricity and making other necessary repairs," federal Minister for Emergency Management Murrary Watt said.
Grants are set to go live on the NSW Government website in the "coming days" for properties assessed as damaged, destroyed or uninhabitable and where the owner or renter is uninsured or unable to claim insurance.
"It's vital people have a roof over their head as they recover from this devastating flooding. The Back Home grant is aimed at helping people return to their properties as quickly as possible," NSW Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said.
Back Home grants cover costs including:
- Inspection and safe reconnection of electrical, gas, water, hot water and sewerage equipment not otherwise the responsibility of utility companies;
- Necessary replacement or repairs to damaged essential household goods such as refrigerators, ovens, washing machines and microwaves;
- Necessary replacement or repairs to damaged equipment such as computers and tools and other essential household contents;
- Moving to a new property if you are a tenant; and
- Necessary structural repairs including roof, flooring, walls, fittings (owner-occupier/owner).
Upper Hunter Nationals MP Dave Layzell, who had previously been critical of both state and federal governments about the lack of action in making Back Home grants available, welcomed the grants for Hunter residents who are "hurting".
"Communities like Broke have experienced devastation just as badly as what we witnessed in Lismore earlier this year, which is why I fought for these Back Home grants," Mr Layzell said.
Ms Andonopoulos' home, which backs onto Wollombi Brook, was damaged extensively on the night of the floods. She, along with many others, is still living a "haphazard and makeshift life".
"It's all very temporary. We are sleeping in our caravan and getting the kids ready for school in one of the rooms in the house that is just bare concrete with a mat down," she said.
"The bathroom still functions but the tiles are starting to come off after we had to wash all the mud out.
"We are lucky to be insured so we should know at some stage this month what our timeline is. But for many people in Broke, there is a long path ahead."
Federal Labor member for Hunter Dan Repacholi said the grants are "about getting people back into a safe and dry home, as quickly as possible".
"Whether a home needs electricity reconnected or structural repairs, the Back Home grant ensures this can happen sooner," said Mr Repacholi.
Last week, Mr Repacholi said an expansion of the grants program had been signed off by the federal government and a joint announcement with the state was "imminent".
The Back Home grants are in addition to a series of other clean-up and funding programs underway, including up to 16 weeks in rental support payments, rural landholder grants, small business and not-for-profit support, and an $80 million clean-up support program.
A key issue for many residents, Ms Andonopoulos said, is that they fall through the gaps of existing grants available for regional communities.
"They may not be primary producers or just running things on a very small scale. We are hoping the Back Home grants are far more applicable and are the ones that actually help out."
Applicants impacted by flooding in February 2022, and again in July 2022, may be able to apply twice under the scheme
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