Northern Rivers temporary housing
Temporary housing sites provide a safe and secure home while people affected by floods begin their recovery.
Village locations
Temporary housing villages have been constructed in the Ballina, Byron, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed Shire areas.
Ballina Shire
Byron Shire
Lismore
Richmond Valley
Tweed Shire
Site selection
Maintaining community connectedness is an important part of flood recovery.
Sites have been identified in partnership with local councils.
Site suitability and feasibility assessments were undertaken by the Department of Planning and Environment and found that each site was suitable for temporary housing. The assessments had similar considerations that would occur in the usual planning process, including:
- site availability for multi-year projects, with preference given to Council and government sites (Crown Land and surplus government sites)
- desktop analysis of constructability, including existing services connections, site slope, access and other considerations that may impact construction, such as easements
- safety, including flood and bushfire risk, site contamination
- access and proximity to where people were living before
- other considerations, such as biodiversity restrictions and Native Title claims.
About the villages
Housing villages host temporary modular homes (also called pods) and caravans. The sites include supporting infrastructure and amenities. They vary in size, depending on the land and available amenities.
Pods are stand-alone homes that range from studios to 4-bedrooms. Pods have their own internal facilities such as a kitchen, bathroom and washing machine. Some sites with caravans will have communal bathrooms and kitchen facilities to complement what is in each caravan.
They include power and water costs during that time. For caravan residents, there may be some costs for waste management. All residents are responsible for their own internet expenses. Ask your community housing provider about any ongoing costs.
Local community housing providers (CHP) manage housing sites in partnership with the NSW Government, councils and local community groups.
How long will temporary housing sites be available?
Time spent in the village will depend on the housing needs of each resident while they find and settle into long-term housing. This will allow time for rebuilding homes, moving or finding a rental property.
A requirement of the leasing agreement for each site is that the site is rehabilitated to its prior use at the end of occupation, and as agreed with the landowner.
How are temporary pods allocated?
The allocation process is being managed by the relevant CHP and the NSW Government.
Temporary pods in the Northern Rivers are at capacity and new applications are no longer being accepted. Allocations for pods will continue for people who have expressed interest and are on the waitlist.
Village management
Temporary villages are managed by a community housing provider (CHP). The CHP is responsible for:
- the day-to-day management of the site
- resident allocations
- on-site security.
All residents will sign an occupancy agreement before moving into a village. This sets out appropriate behaviour and conduct for living in the temporary accommodation.
If someone is unable to comply with the terms of occupancy agreement, they may be required to leave the site.
Across all sites, the CHP works closely with local Recovery Support Services (RSS) to provide support for residents, including:
- mental and physical health
- financial support
- options for returning to a more permanent living situation.
All housing units are cleaned before residents move in. Residents are then responsible for all ongoing clean up of the housing unit, as it is their private home.
At-home caravan program
The NSW Reconstruction Authority is responsible for managing the At-Home Caravan program in partnership with Camplify, to provide temporary use of a caravan for residents whose primary place of residence were deemed uninhabitable as a result of the 2022 floods in the Northern Rivers.
New applications for the At-Home Caravan program will close on 31 January 2024. Individuals and families already in a caravan are still able to retain their caravan for up to 18 months.
The NSW Reconstruction Authority is contacting caravan residents to understand each individual housing need and next steps once the program is finished.
More support
If you were affected by floods, you can contact your local Recovery Support Service for assistance.
If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, contact Link2Home on 1800 152 152. The telephone service is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Contact the project team
For more information, contact us by:
• emailing housingtaskforce@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au
• calling 1300 003 227