Those living in the flood-prone areas in Auckland's west have had enough, as they call on officials to bail them out of an area that in its current conditions are no longer fit for living.
Dozens of people gathered to meet with Te Atatū MP Phil Twyford who held a series of public meetings on a number of the worst-affected streets in West Auckland today.
Many of those in attendance had a sleepless night, watching as rain fell once again, triggering flash floods for the fourth time in as many weeks — cementing their fears that their homes were no longer fit for living.
Tracey Riddell and Damien Davis are staying in a friend's converted basement with their 15-year-old daughter. But after seeing their own house fill with water multiple times this summer, they can't see how they can return to their Rānui home.
"We don't see a future here any more," Riddell said. "It's too traumatic. Every time it rains we are freaking out."
Their daughter been home alone when the worst of the floods hit on January 27. Riddell rushed home from work, but within minutes the flood waters had fully inundated their property and they needed help to swim out.
A neighbour, Ruth Copping, said she and her husband are now looking at how they can scrape together enough money to buy a new home.
"We've cashed up everything and we are trying to buy a house right now because I can't go back to this house," she said.
Many say the flood risk has changed dramatically in the years since they bought their homes, as storms have increased in power and frequency in recent years.
Morgan Allen owns a house with his partner in Massey. They had just bought their property in December 2021. At the time, their research showed the risk of flooding was minimal.
But on January 27, the waters from a nearby stream overflowed into their home, rising to levels that surpassed even their worst estimates.
It's hard for them to see their first home in tatters, but they're kept going by a fight they've joined to show those in charge why homes should no longer be built in areas like these.
The residents - as part of the West Auckland is Flooding group, formed after the January 27 floods - are calling for a managed retreat, including voluntary buyouts, and better management of homes in areas where there is a risk of flooding.
Allen says there's been a real lack of maintenance of the area's waterways that have further exacerbated the risk.
"If they can't afford to upgrade infrastructure to manage that run-off [from storm-water drains] then they shouldn't be building properties here," he said.
At today's meetings, Twyford pledged to bring the Government, council, banks and insurance companies together to discuss options for a managed retreat which, in "the most extreme cases of risk, that would give people the option of a voluntary buyout".
"It would be crazy in some cases to build back when there is an extreme risk of more flooding," he said.
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