The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Temporary Accommodation Service (TAS) has been activated today to support households displaced by flooding caused by the severe weather event in the Otago region.

TAS is working with local authorities to understand how many people have been displaced and have homes that will need to be repaired or rebuilt. TAS is now accepting registrations from displaced residents in the Otago region who need assistance finding temporary accommodation.

“If you are staying in accommodation provided by Civil Defence or with friends or whānau and need a longer-term temporary accommodation solution while your home is being repaired, we can help,” says Al Bruce, TAS Response Controller.

“The TAS team will work with every household to establish their needs and connect them with available accommodation.”

People are encouraged to register via the TAS website: www.tas.mbie.govt.nz or phone 0508 754 163.

MBIE also encourages tenants and landlords of rental properties to familiarise themselves with their tenancy rights and obligations at www.tenancy.govt.nz.

TAS is not a free service, there is a cost for all temporary accommodation options. Both TAS and the household contribute to this cost, called a part-payment. TAS can assist households who may face difficulties covering this cost due to financial hardship or exceptional circumstances.

Temporary accommodation is different to ‘shelter’ and ‘emergency accommodation’, which is provided for a short period by civil defence and emergency management agencies. Temporary accommodation is used for short to medium terms, providing households with accommodation while repairs are undertaken following a Civil Defence Emergency.

The Temporary Accommodation Service remains active in response to the 2023 Cyclone Gabrielle/Auckland Flooding event and the 2024 Wairoa flooding event.

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