Categorisation update – 1 August

Welcome to our fortnightly categorisation programme update.

Almost 2000 homes have received a final property categorisation, with 652 classed as Category 3 and eligible for a buy-out (as of 1 August).

442 Category 3 homeowners had received or accepted a buy-out offer, and 153 properties had completed their sale and purchase agreements (as of 26 July).

Overall, 3060 property owners have now registered for the categorisation scheme out of 7389 known impacted properties (26 July). There is still time for at risk homeowners to sign up to the limited scheme. While the deadline for registering is 30 September, we strongly recommend doing this as soon as possible. See our story Registering for a Risk Category for more information. 

If you registered in 2023, are awaiting a category, and have not received an update with a forecast month for your category, please get in touch at propertycategory@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. 

In some locations we have not been able to finalise risk reports and categories until decisions about local infrastructure solutions have been made. 

Business cases for the first three infrastructure solutions have been submitted to the Government for their co-funding approval for projects in Muriwai around Domain Crescent and in Māngere's Te Ararata and Harania catchments. In the meantime, the Ministry for the Environment is welcoming feedback on Council's Order in Council proposal to ensure the projects in Māngere can be delivered faster.

In other areas, the necessary community infrastructure projects are more complex and could take many years to design, fund, plan, consent and construct.

This week the Government approved council's proposed amendment to the Auckland recovery co-funding agreement which allows it to offer buy-outs for high-risk properties where an infrastructure solution can’t be delivered in a reasonable timeframe. Council is now progressing risk reports for properties in these project areas, including neighbourhoods around Nile Road in Milford and Clover Drive in Rānui. 

An ongoing note on the complexity of categorisation

Many properties are proving more complex to categorise for several reasons:

• There is an intolerable risk to life, but we need to assess the feasibility of a mitigation at the property. Examples include retaining walls, house raising or moving, altering fences and other structures blocking overland flow paths, or changes to driveways or landscaping
• There is an intolerable risk to life, but we are waiting on confirmation of a community infrastructure project that could reduce this risk for whole neighbourhoods. Examples include redirecting overland flow paths, making more space for water to flow and pool, stopbanks, and upgrading culverts and roads. These projects are being scoped looking at feasibility of timelines, practicality, costs and impacts
• There are both flooding and landslip issues at the property
• Recent work at neighbouring properties, or the shifting of land, have changed the risk profile since we started.

See key categorisation and buyout figures below.

Categorisation progress (at 26 July 2024) 

Note: Not every home will need a site assessment, but some may need more than one

Category 3 buy-out progress (at 26 July 2024)

Categories confirmed (at 1 August 2024)

*​A small number of properties that have registered for the programme are ineligible, including those with vacant land, commercial/non-residential properties, or properties owned by public service providers. The programme is focused on addressing risk to life in residential situations. 

Categories by suburb (at 1 August 2024)