Review of the operations of the NSW Reconstruction Authority

Review of the operations of the NSW Reconstruction Authority

Planning powers, preparedness and adaptation

38

Resilient Homes Program

Finding 7

The Resilient Homes Program is performing significantly below community

expectations and needs, with stakeholders observing funding issues, restrictive

eligibility criteria, and complex and length application and approval processes

along with limited or no rationale in relation to unfavourable decisions, adding

to community frustration and uncertainty during recovery.

Recommendation 13

That, in consultation with relevant councils, the NSW Government, led by the

NSW Reconstruction Authority, should make improvements to the Resilient

Homes Program, specifically including improvements to the timeliness,

eligibility criteria and the application and approval process.

4.10 The Committee also heard specific feedback from stakeholders about the

Resilient Homes Program (RHP). The RHP was established following the 2022

Northern Rivers floods and is designed to reduce the vulnerability of homes in

high-risk areas to future flood events.

238 The RHP is administered by the

Authority and offers eligible homeowners in flood-affected areas one of several

forms of assistance:

- a voluntary buyback of their property

- financial assistance towards resilient measures, such as:

o Home Raising (elevating the home above flood levels)

o Home Rebuild (rebuilding a more resilient home where the

property was destroyed or uninhabitable)

o Home Relocation (relocating a current home to a safer location on

the homeowners property, or to another property in the region)

o Home Retrofit (modifying the home to make it more flood-

resilient).

239

4.11 The Committee heard that programs that enable retrofitting, elevation and flood

remediation demonstrably reduce the severity of disaster impacts and future

insurance claims. The Insurance Council of Australia submitted that cost-benefit

evidence shows retrofit programs can be highly cost-effective in reducing future

public and private losses, and that expanding these programs should be a funding

priority.

240

4.12 The Committee heard that the RHP is performing significantly below community

expectations and needs.241 Stakeholders observed funding issues, restrictive

238 NSW Reconstruction Authority, About the Resilient Homes Program, accessed 23 March 2026.

239 NSW Reconstruction Authority, About the Resilient Homes Program, accessed 23 March 2026.

240 Submission 48, p 5.

241 Submission 19, p 2; Submission 49, p 19; Submission 18, p 3.