Sydney flood victims assured compensation will flow soon

The 17 homeowners that make upthe Southend Lost Homes Coalition in Sydney have received a commitment from the provincial government that the evaluationand compensation processfor their flood-ruined homes will move quickly.

The members of the coalition all own homes in the area of Sydney hardest hit by a flood on Thanksgiving Day. They have all agreed to allow their properties to be demolished.

InfrastructureMinister Geoff MacLellan saidproperty assessments are already underway to put a pre-flood market values on the homes.

$200Kstarting point

MacLellan saidhe spoke Tuesday with coalition spokesman Terry Drohan, and they agreed all the property claims willreach the $200,000 maximum in the province's disaster relief fund.

"So you start there," said MacLellan, "and that's sort of the money that would be relatively no strings attached, and then you start working on the other issues property that was in the home, assets, those types of things."

The insurance policies of most of the coalition members either provide no or very little coverage for flood damage. Without relief, they're responsible for all replacementcosts, even while some still carry mortgages on their ruined homes.

• Worst hit in Sydney flood seek details on compensation

Get the money moving

"We've got to get started on some of these funds," MacLellan said, "so that people can start to pay their rents and look at what they're going to do with the next steps. It's the assessment that triggers those things.

"I know it's been a struggle but I think we're finally getting there. I couldn't believe what I saw that day after the storm and it's our duty to do what we can and help them pick up the pieces."

Time is of the essence, the minister said.

"It's getting cold and we don't have a lot of time now," he said. "It'sincumbent on us and the priority that we get this money out the door and have people set up.

"Even when we get this money out the door, there's still a lot of decisions and still a lot of uncertainty for these homeowners."