Government offers temporary dwellings to aid flood recovery

6 April 2023

The Victorian government is undertaking a $4.6 million “homes at home” temporary accommodation program for uninsured flood victims in Shepparton, prioritising residents facing financial hardship.

The initiative will deliver furnished units and caravans to up to 40 properties affected by October floods.

Eligible residents must own a flood-affected property that was the primary place of residence before the flood, which was uninsured for flooding.

The pilot program, to be administered by Emergency Recovery Victoria, will run for three years and will allow residents to live on their property while essential repairs are carried out to their homes.

The temporary accommodation will be free for a year, after which property owners will need to make a co-contribution to the hire cost. If assessed to be successful after six months, the program may be rolled out more widely.

Emergency Recovery Victoria CEO Mariela Diaz says having a safe place to stay close to home is essential to recovery after disaster.

“Homes at Home will give people just that – safe accommodation on their own property – while their homes are repaired,” she said.

In October, the Goulburn River peaked fractionally below the 1974 flood. Large areas of Shepparton were evacuated. Police used helicopters to guide rescue boats overnight as the river rose, and thousands of properties were inundated.

Since the widespread 2022 floods, alternative accommodation has been found for more than 1800 Victorians, including at the Centre for National Resilience, the Elmore Temporary Village, private rentals, social housing and hotel accommodation.

“It’s clear that staying close to home in a safe and stable way is critical to getting lives back on track,” Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes said.

Full eligibility criteria can be seen here.