A collective set up to support people whose homes were ruined in the January 27 floods has urged Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown to grant them rates relief.
West Auckland is Flooding (WAIF) says it aims to provide West Auckland flood-affected communities a voice in finding urgent, fair and sustainable solutions to flood risk.
Those who live within the Swanson stream catchment have been dealing with rising floodwaters for years, including the two severe weather events earlier this year.
In a video shared with Stuff, a time-lapse of a security camera shows just how fast the rising West Auckland stream can engulf their properties.
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Group spokesperson Morgan Allen said the property shown in the video was one of the “worst affected”.
“It has flooded eight times in seven years, and three times this month,” Allen said.
“The house is somewhat OK because it sits high on the property, but it’s extreme and frequent.”
Chair of WAIF, Lyall Carter, released an open letter addressed to the mayor and Auckland councillors on Wednesday night, to highlight the financial weight the community was facing.
Genna Hukui/Supplied
West Auckland residents are campaigning for rates relief.
“As a result of the damage caused during the Auckland anniversary floods, many Auckland families and residents can no longer live in their houses,” Carter wrote.
“These aren’t just structures of bricks and mortar; they are homes, places where families have made memories together, where children have been born and grown up, and where individuals have spent many hours DIY-ing making it their own.”
Carter said the community was already struggling under the financial pressure of having to find other accommodation as well as having to pay rent on top of mortgage repayments and rates on homes that have been red or yellow-stickered.
“We are calling for all homes with significant flood damage to be given immediate and complete relief from paying rates,” Carter said.
“This would make a significant difference for the families and residents in our community in what already is a very tough and trying time for them right now.”
Supplied
Bex Hurley’s Henderson property during repeated floods.
Allen said people were living in their cars, garages, or living in a house with 15 other people.
“There’s one family who can’t find a rental so they’ve had to put a cabin on their land, and when it floods they’re just going to lock their cats inside with the kitty litter,” Allen said.
Allen said Aucklanders needed to understand “how widespread the issue is”.
“Not everyone is aware of what is going on, we are raising awareness, so others can see the situation people are living in.”
A spokesperson for mayor Wayne Brown’s office said “the mayor is sympathetic to the situation”.
“[He] has asked for advice around options for rates relief,” the spokesperson said.
“In the meantime he has asked council to ensure that anyone who has been red-stickered will not be charged penalties.”
Auckland Council said they don’t currently offer a remission of rates for stickered properties, and “the preferred approach is to provide support through grants”.
“This lets the council target financial support to those who have been impacted the most and who are most in need,” Auckland Council’s head of rates valuations and data management, Rhonwen Heath, said.
Lawrence Smith/Stuff
West Auckland was hit hard by the Auckland Anniversary floods in late January.
“A report is being prepared on the options that exist for the council to provide further assistance, which will be presented to the Governing Body for their consideration as soon as practicable.”
The council has contacted owners of red-stickered properties to discuss what financial support is available to them, and wants to reassure them that no penalties will be imposed for late rates payments.
The Auckland Council Emergency Relief Fund is being used to support residents and ratepayers who have been affected by the recent storm events.
“We’ve received large numbers of applications to the fund and are making our way through the applications, which does take some time,” Heath said.
If people are experiencing financial difficulties with rates, Auckland Council has asked them to call on 09 301 0101 to discuss their options.
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