No FOSAL buyouts in Far North

It has been confirmed that no properties in the Far North District meet the criteria for the Future of Severely Affected Locations (FOSAL) programme.

The programme was introduced to support communities severely affected by the severe storms of January and February 2023, including Cyclone Gabrielle. It aimed to offer financial assistance for property owners in Category 3 areas to either relocate or participate in voluntary buyouts. However, properties had to meet specific criteria, such as having been severely affected by the 2023 weather events, and be unsuitable for habitation due to an ongoing intolerable risk to human life with no other option available.

Through thorough investigation, it was determined that no residential properties in the Far North met the Government’s strict criteria. As a result, the council decided in December last year not to adopt the Proposed FOSAL Buyout and Relocation Policy.

Even though no properties were deemed to meet the FOSAL criteria, several communities were identified where some intervention would increase community flood resilience. In conjunction with Northland Regional Council and the Cyclone Recovery Unity, the Far North District Council secured $220,000 from the Flood Resilience Capability Fund to secure a Kaupapa Māori lead to assist in increasing flood resilience for marae using adaptation planning.

The council-led FOSAL Programme was also instrumental in securing an additional $1.13 million from the same fund towards building flood-resilient marae in Te Tai Tokerau, which is administrated by the Northland Regional Council.