Mixed reactions from Christchurch homeowners
Some happy; some think they'll have to settle for less; most in limbo.
Some happy; some think they'll have to settle for less; most in limbo.
For Christchurch's quake-stricken residents the government's rescue offer is a mixed blessing -- while some have welcomed the chance to start again there are others sad to lose their homes in condemned areas where a rebuild isn't possible.
Yesterday's announcement that 5100 houses in the worst-affected suburbs can't be repaired, and that a government offer to buy them is on the table, was a relief for those who have waited months to know the fate of their homes.
Left in limbo
But another 10,500 have been left in limbo because the state of the land they are on is still in doubt due to damage from aftershocks.
The city has been divided into colour-coded zones, including the residential red zone covering the 5100 houses that can't be rebuilt.
The other 10,500 are in the orange zone, which the Government calls a "hold-zone" because their future is still uncertain.
Red zone homeowners can either sell their entire property to the Government at current rating value or just sell the land and continue to deal with their own insurer for the value of their homes.
The cost to the Government has been estimated at between $485 million and $635m, once it has received payments from the Earthquake Commission and private insurers.
Relieved
The Wilkes family said they were relieved to finally be able to look to the future and leave their devastated Avonside suburb.
"We are happy, it is brilliant, we are so sick of living here," said Rebecca Wilkes.
"It's a really positive move for us. We felt we were stuck here ... it is probably the ideal outcome, we will probably be financially better off. The Crown will buy our land and the insurance company will pay for the rebuild."
They already own a block of land elsewhere, and think they will be one of the first families to rebuild.
"Where are we going to go?"
In the same suburb, Trevor Stanley-Joblin, 70, and his wife Lorraine, 69, have lived in their beautifully modernised home with panoramic views of the Avon River for 32 years.
"We are going to lose all that," Mr Stanley-Joblin said.
"Where are we going to go? Something smaller with this view would be great, but we aren't going to get that...we're just going to have to accept that we're going to have a lot less."
Some paid above valuation, or improved
Political reaction came from the Labour Party, with earthquake recovery spokesman Clayton Cosgrove saying that while residents would be grateful to have some certainty around their future they should be provided free independent and expert advice before making decisions.
Some people may have paid above valuation -- the price the government is offering to pay -- and taken out larger mortgages or carried out improvements that raised values, he said.
The prime miinister said yesterday that provision would be made for people in that situation.
The Green Party's Kennedy Graham said the Government's offer was fair but many issues were still to be addressed.
He questioned what would happen to residents who refused to leave, and whether essential services would remain on line, and what would happen to uninsured properties.
Insurance Council chief executive Chris Ryan said the industry was "generally pleased" with the options.
He said insurers expected to pay at least $10 billion into the Canterbury economy and the rebuilding of Christchurch.