Lismore's illegal squatter situation looks to be moving in a direction that will force an outcome in the first half of 2025.

The Lismore App first reported squatters were living in some of the houses on Pine Street, North Lismore, in May 2024. They had been occupying homes since late 2023.

We ran a follow-up story about who the occupants were in October 2024. You can read that by clicking here.

The Lismore App understands that more than 20 Resilient Homes Program (RHP) houses purchased by the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA) have been illegally occupied.

Most of the occupants are overseas backpackers travelling along the east coast. They stay a few days and move on.

However, there is a core group of people who are more permanent occupants of the RHP houses. Their belief is that Lismore has so many vacant houses that are vacant, so why not use one to put a roof over their head.

“I need somewhere to live. I can't afford to rent right now. And yeah, that was a bit stressful for some time, but it just made sense to utilise these empty houses. And then slowly, it made sense to more people,” one of the residents told the Lismore App in October 2024.

When asked for a response to Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan's comments about the illegal squatters yesterday (Labor Governments are creating a ghetto in our community), a NSW Reconstruction Authority spokesperson said;

(One of the Pine Street houses in North Lismore. Photo: Kevin Hogan Facebook page)

"The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) is leading the Resilient Homes Program, which involves offers and acceptance of buybacks for a large number of homes on the basis they were directly impacted by the catastrophic flooding events in 2022 and pose the greatest risk to life in most floods.

"As part of the buyback process, services including power and water were disconnected and fencing erected at each premises to prevent unauthorised persons from entering the houses and to ensure public safety.

"The RA is aware that several people are illegally residing in houses bought back under the RHP.

"The unauthorised use of the properties without services, provides a risk to the health and safety of those persons, including an increased risk from fire and sanitation issues as well as the impact of mould.

"The RA has been working with Homes NSW, Social Futures, NSW Police and illegal occupants to find alternative accommodation, with some moving voluntarily. 

"The RA is also working with NSW Police and within the appropriate legislation to have illegal occupants removed where they do not leave voluntarily."

The problem for the NSWRA is the squatters are refusing to leave, and the flood-affected houses need to be assessed to see if they are suitable for relocation. This cannot be done while they are occupied.

The Lismore App understands the appropriate legislation includes a visit to the Supreme Court so papers can be served to the squatters by the sheriff. The approximate cost per house is $40,000, so with five houses occupied by more permanent occupants, the cost to the NSWRA could well be $200,000.

That is $200,000 that will be diverted away from the RHP because of illegal occupation.

Buyback house relocation assessments started in 2024. Four flood-affected houses have been relocated to the Mt Pleasant Estate in Goonellabah, while 31 more homes have been identified as suitable to be relocated.

The NSWRA asked for expressions of interest from people to purchase a relocatable house at the end of December last year. So far, they have received over 100 written submissions.

As we start 2025, the NSWRA is moving forward with its plans to assess all RHP buyback homes as the flood recovery continues. Is it time the illegal squatters voluntarily ended their occupancy and moved on as well?