Special Earthquake Edition 5

Accommodation support for quake-affected

The government has announced a package of initiatives to assist Cantabrians who have been displaced from their homes due to severe earthquake damage.

Financial assistance will be available for homeowners who have had to leave their homes, or will need to leave their homes for a period longer than their insurance covers, while the repair or rebuilding of both land and houses takes place.

The temporary accommodation financial assistance will be $180 per week for a one-person household, $275 per week for a two-person household, and $330 per week for households of three or more people to cover rental costs for those who are displaced from their homes due to earthquake damage.

The financial assistance will be universal, and won’t be subject to income or asset testing. In order to access the financial assistance, homeowners must have exhausted their temporary accommodation allowance under their insurance policies.

From Monday 21 February, there will be four Canterbury Earthquake Temporary Accommodation Service offices at:

•       Work and Income, 231 High Street, Christchurch
•       Linwood Community Link, 154 Aldwins Road, Linwood, Christchurch
•       Papanui Work and Income, 7 Winston Avenue, Papanui, Christchurch
•       Waimakariri Earthquake Hub, 24 Sewell Street, Kaiapoi

Staff will also be available in the Selwyn District as required, so residents in that area should contact 0800 673 227 to make an appointment.

For more information about the assistance package, including application forms, phone the Canterbury Earthquake Temporary Accommodation Service on 0800 673 227 or visit www.quakeaccommodation.govt.nz

Technical reports continue to be completed

EQC’s geotechnical engineers Tonkin & Taylor are in the process of delivering technical reports to EQC.  These reports will be used by engineers to develop the detailed designs for repairing the land in the areas most affected by land damage from the earthquake.

These factual reports bring together all of the data that has been collected from geotechnical investigations – such as seismic surveys and soil testing – in these suburbs. The remaining factual reports are due to be completed by the end of this month.

Reports are being developed for 20 suburbs/areas in total. The first stage of the technical reports, known as factual reports, have been completed for 13 suburbs/areas – Bexley and Aranui, Brooklands, Dallington Lower, Dallington Upper, Fendalton and Merivale, Kaiapoi North, Kaiapoi South, Kairaki and Pines Beach, Parklands, Richmond, Southshore, Spencerville, and Tai Tapu.  See http://canterbury.eqc.govt.nz/publications/factual-reports/geotechnical

These will be followed by interpretative reports, which analyse all the data collected. EQC have been releasing the interpretation geotech reports on a suburb by suburb basis.  This removes the need for area reports for insurance purposes and for many areas like Brooklands have downgraded the need for major earthworks speeding up the time to rebuild. This is good news as it seems the damage to the land is not as bad as the engineers first thought.

These reports will help deliver on the Government’s commitment to funding additional work to give greater protection to people’s property should a similar earthquake happen in the future. They will also save homeowners time and money as the reports can be used to help gain any building consents necessary for household repair work.

Other Rebuilding Issues

This week also saw the start of the Christchurch City Council infrastructure repairs. Work is now underway on permanent repairs to Christchurch’s water supplies and the drainage and sewerage systems, roads, kerbing and footpaths which were damaged in the September earthquake. Many of these services have been operating under short term repairs.

It was great to be at the launch of this work at Burwood Park last Friday. Infrastructure rebuild drop-in centres have been established in Avonside/Burwood/Dallington at the Burwood Park Bowling Club, Brooklands/Spencerville at the Community Hall, and Southshore/Bexley in Union St.  For more information about the Christchurch City Council’s infrastructure rebuild visit: www.strongerchristchurch.govt.nz

There have been significant concerns raised with me over the impact of the Council’s Variation 48, which relates to floor levels in flood management areas. This could have major implications on the rebuilding process for many earthquake-affected Cantabrians. I have had a number of meetings with various leaders on this issue and the Council has said it is continuing to investigate how earthquake-affected properties will be affected by Variation 48. I will keep you posted on progress.

Fletcher Building, who is managing the repairs for EQC claims assessed at $10,000 to $100,000 plus GST, is stepping up their work. They are currently scoping or repairing more than 1,500 homes with earthquake damage. This number is starting to escalate rapidly now as geographical coverage and overall momentum increase.

Latest aftershock is a new insurance event for Earthquake Commission (EQC)

The magnitude 4.6 aftershock of 4 February is being treated as a new event by the Earthquake Commission. Although it was much smaller than the other main aftershocks, it did reach the threshold where damage to property was likely to have occurred.

For damage claims to residential property from the aftershocks of 26 December, 20 January, and 4 February, please call 0800 326 243 or go to www.eqc.govt.nz .

EQC claims update (as of 17 February 2011) 

 EQC claims deadlines

• 4 September quake: Passed.
• 19 October aftershock: Passed.
• 14 November aftershock: Passed.
• 26 December aftershock: 28 March.
• 20 January aftershock: 20 April.
• 4 February aftershock: 4 May.

EQC Targets

• Settle all claims under $10,000 by 28 February.
• Inspect all properties with likely claims over $10,000 by the end of March 2011.
• Settle claims over $100,000 as identified.

For more information: Visit www.canterburyearthquake.govt.nz or call the Government Helpline on 0800 779 997 or of course you can ring my office on 382 5701.

Regards,

Aaron Gilmore

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