West Auckland storm-damaged homeowners caught in ‘grey’ area for financial aid

A slip on council land in front of a home in West Auckland.

• West Auckland homeowners came to Auckland Council in August last year asking for financial help, and fast, for storm damage.
• Thirteen months later, the homeowners were back at the council, pleading a second time for financial help.
• Council and Auckland Transport have been told to come back next month with definitive advice on solutions for the homeowners.

The lives of 60-plus property owners in West Auckland whose homes were destroyed or damaged by landslips during last year’s catastrophic floods are crying out for help because of a “grey” area for financial aid.

The storm damage to their properties is from slips on the council-owned road corridor, meaning they cannot get insurance, help from Natural Hazards Commission (formerly EQC) or loans and do not qualify for assistance under the $2 billion Government/Auckland Council cost-sharing package for uninhabitable properties and other storm-related costs.

Members of the Stickered Area Residents’ Group (Star) today appeared before the Council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee this morning pushing for an urgent funding fix to get on with their lives.

“This is not a private land issue, the damage is on publicly-owned land, which is for Auckland Council to fix.

“Our priority is to remediate that land and reduce further risk to life and property. That is the priority,” Star spokesman Thibault Beaujot told councillors.

Star spokesman Thibault Beaujot,

It was the second presentation to councillors from Star members, who turned out in large numbers at the Auckland Town Hall today.

At a presentation in August last year, the flood victims asked for help, and fast.

Last year, Beaujot said his Titirangi house was damaged by two slips - one on the property and a second slip coming down from a road reserve.

“We thought we were living in paradise after buying our first house…but now it’s basically hell,” he said.

More than a year later, Beaujot and his wife are expecting their first baby in December, he still attends monthly counselling sessions for his mental health, saying the best remedy now is accountability and action from the council to fix the issue.

“If we can do that, it will have a huge impact on people, and we will think about the future and not think back about what happened.

Star member Tony Proffit said the damage on council land threatens residents’ safety and needs to be mitigated or reinstated.

“We’ve done a lot to support affected residents and facilitate the recovery efforts since Day 1. But 20 months on we really feel very strongly that Auckland Council and its agencies need to act urgently to provide those affected with a clear solution and detailed plan of action,” he said.

Star believes the average cost of repairs is $400,000 per site, plus $100,000 in consent fees.

A storm-damaged home in West Auckland. Photo / Alex Burton

The acting head of the council’s storm recovery office, Craig Hobbs, told the Herald the matter was a “grey area” as a result of policies and bylaws limiting the ability to do certain things in certain areas.

He said Auckland Transport can repair storm damage on the tarsealed section of the road but not on the council-owned land road adjacent to the road, which tends to benefit private owners.

Hobbs told the meeting: “From my observation, we need to look at this on a case-by-case basis.”

Auckland Transport has already sought further Government funding but has been declined, said AT infrastructure director Murray Burt.

Waitākere councillor Shane Henderson said he had visited many damaged properties bearing scars on the hills in the Waitākere Ranges.

“This is a reminder of what has to be done to get people’s lives back on track…the land is council land. It is not an issue of private benefit but storm recovery,” Henderson said.

Waitakere councillor Ken Turner. Photo / Supplied

Councillors supported a notice of motion from the second Waitākere councillor Ken Turner, requesting the chief executives of Auckland Council and Auckland Transport to report back in November with definitive advice on solutions to issues raised by Star, any financial impacts and the potential precedents.

Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson said there are residents in no man’s land and hurting.

“We need to get an answer in one month. They have waited 20 months…we need to find a solution,” she said.

Following the meeting Proffit said: “I think we have made progress and I’d like to think we will get to the end point in a month’s time.”

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