Kāinga Ora to demolish flood-damaged homes in Māngere, but won’t say how many

Kāinga Ora tenant Kent Peni says he still doesn’t know if his Māngere home, which was damaged in the Auckland Anniversary Weekend flooding, will be demolished or repaired. Photo / LDR

Kāinga Ora will demolish a number of homes in Māngere that were damaged in the Auckland Anniversary Weekend flooding.

But the Government housing agency is tight-lipped on how many will be demolished and where, with some affected tenants still waiting for answers one month on.

Local Democracy Reporting understands up to 15 houses have already been condemned.

The Auckland Anniversary Weekend flooding resulted in 560 Kāinga Ora properties being damaged in the Auckland region and the number of displaced people has soared.

Kāinga Ora homes in Māngere's Ventura St, Pito Place and Elmdon St are less than 100m from Te Ararata Creek, which regularly floods during bad weather. Photo / LDR

Kāinga Ora deputy chief executive for Auckland and Northland Caroline Butterworth said it is still assessing the damage to its properties in Māngere and talking with affected residents about their options.

She said in cases where a flood-damaged home is in an area that has already been identified for redevelopment, it may not make sense to carry out repairs.

“We have committed to rehousing all our customers who are unable to return to their homes – either because the house is too damaged or because they cannot live safely and well in their home while repairs are done because of their specific set of circumstances.”

Butterworth said that includes offering them a new home to move to, so they “can get on with their lives”.

“It’s important for us that our customers hear from us first about the situation regarding their home, so we can’t provide any more details at this stage,” she said.

Among the state housing tenants affected is Kent Peni. He fled his Ventura St home at 3am on January 28, with his children after rising floodwaters engulfed the property.

He said he still doesn’t know if his home, which he moved into three years ago, will be demolished, or repaired.

“We’re still waiting to hear back from Kāinga Ora. Our house has been yellow-stickered,” Peni said. “It’s been four weeks since the floods, but nothing has been done to the property.”

He said the property is still damp and the gib, insulation and electrics on the ground floor will all have to be replaced.

He’s been living with family for the past month and said Kāinga Ora had already given him the option of moving to another home.

“But we don’t want to relocate,” Peni said.

Pito Place resident Teina Tutai said she was told a couple of weeks ago that her house and a number of other homes in her street would be demolished.

She said despite the upheaval of finding a new home after living in the same property for 39 years, she was pleased with the outcome.

“We’re just happy to be moving on,” she said.

Monte Cecilia Housing Trust chief executive Vicki Sykes said Kāinga Ora will have to weigh up whether it’s worth repairing or replacing the affected properties.

“Some of the older homes may have been scheduled for replacement, but if it involves any of the newer houses that’s effectively starting again,” she said.

But she said if the homes are in flood-prone areas, the housing agency will have to consider whether it’s worth rebuilding them in the same location.