Eugowra resident Grace Katon celebrates returning to her home and also her 83rd birthday.
Long-term Eugowra resident Grace Katon is the first Central West resident to move out of a temporary housing pod and back into her own home. She was met by Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully and Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib who were able to welcome her home.
Following catastrophic floods last year, Grace and her dog Honey lived in the temporary housing pod while her home’s kitchen, bathroom and walls were repaired.
As part of the free Pods on Private Property Program across the Cabonne, Forbes and Parkes Local Government Areas, 98 temporary pods were installed by the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
As of today, 88 households have been able to take advantage of the program, with another 10 pods in the final stages of fit-out.
The pod program provides people with a safe and comfortable place to live in their own community, while they rebuild or repair their homes, relocate or secure a rental property.
More than 130 pods in total are expected to be installed across the Central West by the end of August, while decommissioned pods will be used again in the area or across NSW as part of future disaster recovery efforts.
The NSW Government has also established an At-Home Caravan Program for eligible Central West residents with 129 caravans delivered and in use.
The NSW Government has provided more than $42 million in grants and subsidies to individuals, households, small businesses and primary producers across the Central West impacted by last year’s devastating floods.
Almost 3,000 people have received practical assistance at Recovery Assistant Points across the Central West since November 2022 including accommodation assistance, mental health support and access to clean-up services.