Resilient Homes Fund: Voluntary Home Buy-Back program
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About the Resilient Homes Fund
The Resilient Homes Fund initiative was jointly delivered by the Australian and Queensland Governments through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Queenslanders whose homes were damaged were encouraged to register to be considered for three program options: Resilient Retrofit, Home Raising or Voluntary Home Buy-Back.
The Queensland Reconstruction Authority is managing the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program together with local government, while the Department of Energy and Public Works is managing the delivery of the retrofitting and house-raising components of the $741 million Resilient Homes Fund.
While registrations for the program have now closed, program works are still in progress.
For more information about the Resilient Homes Fund, visit:
About the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program
The 2021-22 Southern Queensland floods were one of the state’s most devastating natural disasters, causing damage to almost 7,000 homes.
In response, the Resilient Homes Fund was developed by the Queensland and Australian Governments to help Queenslanders whose homes were impacted by flooding.
Voluntary Home Buy-Back was identified for homes that were the most severely impacted and at the greatest risk of future flooding.
The Queensland Reconstruction Authority worked in consultation with local government to gather key data and information to determine which homeowners were hardest hit and most likely to experience flooding again.
Homeowners whose properties were identified for buy-back received two valuations – a pre-flood value and a current market value – which ensured homeowners received a fair price for their property.
Once an agreement was reached, the property and the land was purchased by the local council with program funding.
All homes purchased under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program were required to be demoslished or removed and the land re-zoned to appropriate, non-occupied use such as green space.
Community and economic benefits
The Voluntary Home Buy-Back program has changed Queenslander’s lives by removing them from harm’s way. It is also ensuring that no future resident will have to suffer the same devastating impact of flooding in that location again.
The program will continue to deliver economic benefits for the state well into the future.
These benefits include avoided costs resulting from emergency response, residential property damage and clean-up, as well as intangible costs such as risk to life, flood-induced anxiety and depression.
This is the first household resilience program of its kind to be offered in Australia. It is changing Queenslanders’ lives, as well as the region’s resilience to flooding.
Case studies: Voluntary Home Buy-Back
Video case study: Fraser Coast
The Fraser Coast was one of 12 Local Government Areas which participated in the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program. Watch the video to learn more about the participation of the Fraser Coast Regional Council.
(Run time: 6 minutes 26 seconds)