Some Hawke's Bay residents whose homes were inundated by rivers of silt during Cyclone Gabrielle fear the future of their properties will depend on the size of cash-strapped councils' bank accounts.
Negotiations between the government and councils over splitting the region's cyclone recovery bill are dragging on and now won't be finished until the end of the month.
For some, the decision on whether they'll be able to stay in their homes comes down to whether there's enough money for flood protection measures.
Lauren Crimp reports.
