With temporary housing villages (pods) closing at the end of this year, community group House You has called on the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) for assurances that those living in them will not become homeless.

In a big day for housing announcements, the NSW government says it has reached another milestone in the Northern Rivers' flood recovery, with the release of the draft masterplan to transform a 72-hectare site at East Lismore (formerly Southern Cross University land) into land for flood-resilient permanent homes.

Buyback homes in the Northern Rivers are set to get a new lease of life as part of a housing reuse initiative by NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) and Homes NSW.

NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) say another ten buyback homes will be auctioned in Lismore. 

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin says Northern Rivers residents are encouraged to put in an Expression of Interest to be on a new community panel and help shape the state's first multi-hazard regional Disaster Adaptation Plan (DAP) to reduce the risk and impact of future disasters.

Further to the April 9 story on the eviction of a 74-year-old man from the Bayside Brunswick Heads emergency pods, The Echo has been told he has been allowed to return until the June 27 eviction deadline.

The people occupying buyback houses in Lismore were able to come together with the NSW Reconstruction Authority on Friday to talk about potential ways to move forward following the RAs attempt to disconnect water to some of the premises.  

Claims by Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan that ‘Labor governments are creating a ghetto in our community’ in Lismore have been refuted by the local, grassroots, Lismore group Reclaim Our Recovery.

Mayor Michael Lyon downplayed the secrecy surrounding his request that councillors support a non-binding memorandum of understanding with flood recovery agencies and the body that represents local councils.