Heartbreak, frustration for owners of flood-affected properties

Flooding in Gisborne following Cyclone Gabrielle, which hit the region in mid-February. Drone image by Ben Cowper

Limbo 'the new norm'

Gisborne property owners who received Category 2 and 3 labels under the Government’s new cyclone-rating system remain without a timeframe for payouts and mitigation.

Sadness, frustration and a lack of certainty could be felt at a Gisborne District Council drop-in session on Friday, held for those wanting to learn next steps surrounding their flood-affected properties.

There were more questions than answers for most, as council staff did their best to explain procedure and answer questions from the public.

“There’s so much uncertainty, still. We are working closely with the Government to try to find a way that will bring clarity as quickly as possible,” Mayor Rehette Stoltz told the crowd of around 40.

“I caught up with the Prime Minister last week and I made it clear to him that as a council we have no money and we need support from the Government.

“It’s heartbreaking, what’s happening in our town.”

On June 1, the Government announced it would stump up cash to help the district council buy out 17 homeowners in areas where there was a risk of further flooding.

Those homes, deemed Category 3, were located in areas where the risk of future severe weather events could not be sufficiently mitigated.

Following that announcement, around 1000 Tairāwhiti property owners have had their properties indicatively identified as Category 2, meaning interventions are feasible.

These people would also receive support from the Government and council to help with flood protection and resilience.

But the council has warned residents not to expect a quick turnaround, saying the whole process is likely to take months rather than weeks.

The organisation is waiting on central government to clarify the settlement process for Category 3 properties, and there is no set date for the completion of the Category 2 assessment and planning process.

For one man raising concerns at Friday’s meeting — who did not wish to speak further with media — being in limbo has become the new norm.

The man is paying $700 a week for a rental property on top of mortgage payments for the house he has had to leave.

“We can’t borrow anything from the bank until we know what the category is. We can’t move back in our house because it’s not safe,” he said.

“I can’t sell my house. I can’t buy a new house. What can I do?”

A Fitzherbert Street resident whose property had been labelled Category 3 said she was struggling to come to terms with the fact she was being forced out of her home of 35 years.

The possibility of her and other neighbours being part of a group that would oversee the land being turned into a reserve was providing some comfort, she said.

In response to a question about how categories were decided for individual properties, the council’s principal scientist Murry Cave said information such as the velocity of water and the cost of protecting against future risk were some of the things considered.

As an example, a stand-alone property worth $500,000 that required $2 million in protection was not a viable Category 2 option, he said.

The council was also calling on flood-affected property owners to provide video evidence of the cyclone so that it could determine how much water had escaped rivers for future stopbank work.

Category numbers are not yet final and could change at any time.

In a written statement, Mayor Stoltz added to her comments on Friday saying there were a “multitude” of issues relating to insurance and accommodation for people who could not return to their homes.

She urged anyone in that situation to come and talk to the council’s recovery team.