Homes flooded in the Auckland suburb of Epsom following the Auckland Anniversary floods. Photo: RNZ / Rayssa Almeida
Monday is the last day Auckland homeowners can sign up to be part of the region's buyout scheme for flood- and landslide-affected homes.
Auckland Council said more than 7000 properties were impacted by 2023's catastrophic storms, but fewer than half that number had registered for an assessment.
Lyall Carter of lobby group West Auckland is Flooding said many locals did not trust the council "because of years of neglect of maintaining the really important infrastructure".
Where there was nothing that could be done on the property or in the community to reduce the risk in a future storm, the council was offering a voluntary buyout at the property's valuation before any damage - known as being placed in category 3.
A property deemed category 3 was eligible for a council and government-funded buyout. The price offered would be based on "the valuation, your insurance, EQC information and homeowner contribution", according to Auckland Council's website.
But that was not enough for some.
"There is a real trepidation that this will cost them financially," Carter told Morning Report.
"We have spoken to a number of people who will be in negative equity - so owing banks a large sum of money, effectively being forced to sell if they become a category 3. They bought their property at the height of the market and are being forced to sell or stay in a flood-risk area and face financial ruin.
"So either way, these people could be facing financial ruin."
Carter said discussions with the council and government on this predicament had "fallen on deaf ears".
Despite the offer being "better than nothing", Carter said other affected owners were just "emotionally and mentally spent" and did not want to bother going through the buyout process.
"I think people are thinking very short-term… But we've got to remember that these people went through hell on Earth. They're broken. They're broken by the process."
Council spokesperson Craig Hobbs said anyone whose house flooded more than half a metre, was given a red or yellow sticker, or was affected by a landslide should sign up.
"We are making a special effort to reach homeowners we think could be at high-risk but haven't heard back from many of them," Hobbs said.
"Support under the categorisation programme might be the best and last option to receive local and central government support to make their home safe or move somewhere safer."
Craig Hobbs. Photo: RNZ / MARIKA KHABAZI
Responding to Carter's concerns, Hobbs told Morning Report he had "huge sympathy" for West Aucklanders faced with accepting a buyout that did not cover their mortgage.
"We understand that we can't be all things to all people. Unfortunately, our focus has been very much on protecting life, making sure we address those issues for people who are in that position.
"And unfortunately we can't - where do you draw the line, I guess, in terms of how you support people on their private property? Our focus hasn't been on financial and property damage risks as such, it's been about on the risk to life."
Asked if it was just "bad luck" for for some, Hobbs said it was "a horrible thing to say, but yeah".
"We just don't have enough to cover everyone, and at some point you have to determine that there are protocols and parameters, and that's what the government and council determined last year."
And the next time it happened - Hobbs changing his wording from "if" to "when" mid-sentence - he said a similarly generous offer might not be on the table.
There were construction and consenting grants available for homeowners to do work on their property that would reduce risk to life, including building retaining walls and shifting or raising the home.
"It's also important owners in impacted multi-unit developments, like apartment buildings or townhouse complexes, look at registering," Hobbs said.
Auckland's recovery office expected 900 homes to be bought out and demolished or removed.
So far 770 homes have qualified for a buyout.
