The government’s temporary accommodation services for people displaced by recent storms is being expanded.<\/p>\n
The service now covers regions affected outside of Auckland.<\/p>\n
The service was set up after last month’s storm in Auckland, to help displaced people find accommodation.<\/p>\n
Now it will be expanded to assist those in areas hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, including Te Tai Tokerau, Tai R\u0101whiti , Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Tararua District.<\/p>\n
Housing Minister Megan Woods said estimates show up to 1800 households in Auckland alone may need temporary accommodation.<\/p>\n
Temporary housing options includes hotels, motor lodges and portable accommodation.<\/p>\n
Woods said this will be the largest operation of its type to date given the severity and close timing of successive weather events.<\/p>\n
“TAS has been scaling up, preparing and planning to meet this response but with a natural disaster of this magnitude affecting so many households and so much infrastructure, this may take time,” Woods said.<\/p>\n
“Options for accommodation include hotels, motels, motor lodges, and portable accommodation, as happened following the Christchurch and Kaik\u014dura earthquakes, the West Coast flooding in July 2021 and Nelson\/Marlborough floods of August last year.”<\/p>\n
Woods said TAS would work with households to understand their specific needs and to find temporary accommodation that would suit them.<\/p>\n
“Our first priority is to find warm, dry and secure accommodation for people.”<\/p>\n
Woods also urged tenants and landlords of rental properties to visit the tenancy website to understand their rights and obligations following such events.<\/p>\n