Help available for residents affected by weather event
Hauraki District Council, with help from the Government, has opened a Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund to help people affected by the January 21 storm get back on their feet.
Mayor Toby Adams established the fund to support residents facing financial hardship from damage caused by the storm.
“This fund helps our communities through recovery,” Mayor Adams says. “We’ve designed it for people facing real hardship – whether you need help with essential daily needs, debris removal, or costs your insurance doesn’t cover.”
Who we can help:
We can support Hauraki District residents and ratepayers.
What we cover:
The fund provides one-off hardship grants to affected residents, with priority given to:
• Essential daily needs such as food, accommodation, and utilities
• Additional costs resulting from the storm
• Debris removal from your property if you’re uninsured or underinsured
• Support during family or personal crisis
• Costs not met by insurance or other support, including WINZ
These grants help ease the financial and emotional pressure on you and your family.
How to apply:
Applications close on Friday 27th February 2026.
Download the application form at [council website] or pick one up from our service centres or public libraries in Paeroa, Waihi or Ngatea.
We’re here to help with your application – email us at info@hauraki-dc.govt.nz, call 07 862 8609 or freephone 0800 734 834, or visit a service centre.
We’ll assess all applications after the closing date and allocate available funds proportionately to people who meet the criteria.
Want to help your neighbours?You can donate to support affected community members:
• Account name: HDC Mayoral Relief Fund
• Account number: 03-0435-0768043-001
• Particulars: Your phone number
• Reference: ReliefFund
