Designation of Area for Building Emergency Management

Hauraki District Council Designation of Area for Building Emergency Management

On 28 January 2026, Hauraki District Council notified the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, of its decision to designate the Hauraki District, under the Building Act 2004, to manage buildings that have been affected by land instability and flooding.

The decision to designate the area of the Hauraki District will allow Hauraki District Council to manage any ongoing risks to people from buildings as a result of the weather event.

What is a designated area?

A designated area is an area approved by the relevant decision maker to allow a local authority to take specific actions under the Building Act to manage buildings in an emergency. For the Hauraki District, this decision was made by the Mayor of Hauraki District Council on 28 January 2026.

The designated area extends across the entire Hauraki District. The area designated will be reviewed once Rapid Building Assessments are completed.

This designation will be reviewed every 90 days by Hauraki District Council to confirm that the powers conferred by the designation are required to manage the response and recovery.

The designation may remain in place until 27 January 2029, unless terminated earlier.

What will happen next?

Once a designated area is in place, the Building Act provides a number of special powers that may be exercised in respect of all buildings within the designated area.

The powers that can be used within a designated area provide a responsible person with authority to (among other things):

• Enter buildings;
• Complete post-event assessments;
• Direct the evacuation of buildings;
• Put in place measures for protecting buildings and keeping people at a safe distance;
• Place notices and signs on buildings;
• Direct the owners of building or land to provide information;
• Direct works (urgent and non-urgent) to remove or reduce risks;
• Direct works for long term use or occupation of a building.

How long will it be a designated area?

Until all buildings within the area are deemed safe, Hauraki District Council will review the designation at least every 90 days and notify the public of the outcome of this review.

A designation of an area can be in force for up to three years and can subsequently be extended one time for a further three years, during which certain powers may be exercised.

A placard has been placed on my house, does this mean I can’t go home?

Information about the different placards and what they mean is available here: Rapid building assessment placarding system | Building Performance

What happens if a building owner or resident chooses to ignore Council instructions?

The Building Act sets out a number of offences and penalties for non-compliance when the Building Act powers are in place. The responsible person who has been designated for building emergency management has the powers to make decisions about non-compliance.

The powers for offences and penalties are in sections 133BR to 133BU, and 133BW and 133BX of the Building Act. The penalties include the ability for fines of between $5,000 and $200,000 to be imposed if a person intentionally fails to comply with the relevant provisions of the Building Act.

The responsible person will consider the appropriate compliance approach.

MBIE support

The MBIE Building Emergency Management Response Team will continue to monitor activities in the designated area and consider further support for Hauraki District Council. Hauraki District Council are still assessing the damage in their District.