ABOVE: Terrie Costello cleans her Woodburn shop with two friends after the floods.
Susanna Freymark
Landlords of business properties have been asking for financial help to restore their buildings since the February-March floods.
Finally, a $30 million Northern Rivers Commercial Property – Return to Business Support Grant was announced today, Thursday, September 1.
Business landlords Glenn and Terrie Costello have a shop on Woodburn’s main street.
“I welcome any support for landlords as we are still struggling with no income since the floods. I need to get the shop up to a standard for it to be leased,” Mr Costello said.
“We as a community need to have vibrant businesses opening as soon as possible.”
Landlords can’t apply until the end of September and can only apply for up to $50,000.
The support grant comes from federal and state governments.
Mr Costello said the community needed services of all types to ensure the community gets what it needs.
“We need retail, food, hospitality, clothing, a gym, heath and wellbeing.”
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the support will cover repair-related costs for landlords to ensure retail businesses can reopen.
“That could include clean-up services, hiring equipment or covering the cost of building repairs,” Mr Watt said.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said she had heard from many landlords who were unable to fund the repairs to the property they lease.
Applicants can register to be notified when grant applications open by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88.
