Residents in bushfire-affected East Gippsland and the North East are getting on with the complex job of rebuilding after the 2019-20 Victorian bushfires – a task made easier with Bushfire Recovery Victoria’s innovative Short-Term Modular Housing program and its one-stop-shop Rebuild Support Service.
Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes visited Cudgewa today to see the short-term modular unit that Alice Albert currently calls home.
Alice and husband Greg have lived in the dwelling since 2020 while they complete a permanent rebuild on their home in Victoria’s Upper Murray.
The Short-Term Modular Housing program sees new, fully equipped housing units provided to people who lost their home in the 2019-20 bushfires and who wish to remain on their property and in their community during the length of their rebuild.
The last of 83 modular units ordered through the program was installed this week in Mallacoota.
Eligible residents, who are identified through dedicated case support networks, have been offered as much time as they need to decide whether the temporary accommodation and rebuilding journey was the right fit for them.
To date, 160 people including 31 children have lived in BRV’s modular homes across East Gippsland, Towong and Alpine shires.
More than a dozen individuals and families who have occupied modular units have since finished their permanent rebuild, with many more nearing completion.
Recipients of the homes are not charged for installation – they only pay a small hiring fee which is benchmarked to public housing rates.
Victorians who lost their home in the fires have also had the opportunity to access Bushfire Recovery Victoria’s Rebuild Support Service, a free one-stop-shop which offers access to dedicated planning and permit information and support with administration and legal advice. The service is delivered in conjunction with local councils.
To date, 245 property owners have been referred to the Rebuild Support Service, including 65 property owners living in modular homes. While not all residents who lost their home have ultimately decided that rebuilding is right for them, almost 100 permanent home constructions are now completed or underway.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes
“Staying connected to the community is such a vital part of the recovery process for bushfire-affected communities – this program helps people through the complex job of rebuilding and gives them a stable local place to call home in the meantime.”
“We’re also making that complex job easier by linking hundreds of property owners to a free, one-stop-shop service that takes people step-by-step through all the stages of their rebuild.”
Reviewed 02 June 2022