Auckland Council’s recovery office has so far removed more than 250 storm-damaged or risky homes in the region, as it prepares to wind up buyouts.
The council expects to buy just over 1200 high-risk homes by the end of this year as part of the $1.2 billion buyout shared with the Government.
Council said homeowners needed to have sale-and-purchase agreements signed no later than December 19, with settlements continuing into early 2026.
Group recovery manager Mace Ward said 1189 houses had been deemed eligible for buyout so far, with hundreds settled.
“We’re moving at a good pace – 843 buyouts have been settled, giving those whānau the ability to move on with their lives,” he said.
“We’re now dealing with the more intricate cases and some of these are the hardest we’ve had to navigate. Shared ownership, for example, presents some really challenging situations, especially for the people involved.”
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Ward said they were also dealing with many who felt like they had missed out on a buyout.
“As expected, we are also dealing with a lot of people who feel like they missed out, so the next question is how we help Aucklanders, not just to understand, but adapt in a time of climate instability. We all have a role to play.”
Council had identified 145 high-risk properties, but that could be reduced.
“We’re supporting about 145 homeowners to make their homes safer, so they can continue living in the communities they love,” Ward said. “This includes practical measures, like building retaining walls, or lifting or shifting homes to reduce their risk.”
More than 250 homes have been removed, of which a third have been relocated.
Milford has 140 high-risk homes eligible for buyout, the most of any Auckland suburb, and of those, 17 have been removed.
Devastating flash flooding hit at the start of Auckland Anniversary Weekend last year. (Source: 1News)
Council aims to remove about 30 storm-damaged homes a month until November 2027.
Ward said most of the work ahead involved removing the high-risk homes and deciding what to do with the land council had bought.
“This process has only just begun and, with buy-outs still underway, it’ll take time to carefully assess each site’s potential,” he said.
“We have a region-wide policy guiding this work. Safety remains our number one priority, but we also need to deliver value for Aucklanders, especially given how expensive this recovery effort has been.”
Meanwhile, in partnership with the Government, Auckland Council has confirmed four major flood resilience projects – two in Mangere, and the others in Wairau Park and Ranui.
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