Samuel Rillstone, visual journalist
Timber frames, a bath and a shower are all that remains in Marie Tuahine's home after it was left severely damaged by June's flood.
The water was knee deep when she and her neighbours fled their homes on Apatu Street.
She is staying with friends because her home is one of 120 that is yellow stickered - a considerable amount of work is needed before she can live there again.
She is preparing to move into a cabin on her property but needs to wait while preparations are still underway.
"I have no idea when I'm even going to be moving in to it, because I know it's there but water and power's got to be provided yet, and they tell me they've put a little bit of a decking on there as well so that's all got to be done yet."
Marie Tuahine's home was gutted during the June floods. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Tātau Tātau O Te Wairoa has been providing cabins or tiny homes for whānau unable to live in their homes since Cyclone Gabrielle and ramped up the process after June's floods.
Since Cyclone Gabrielle, more than 120 people are living in temporary accommodation and Tātau Tātau knows of a further 50 who need it.
Seventy-four cabins have been provided, while another 45 have been requested from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Flood-damaged household items sit beside Ngamotu Road almost three weeks after it was flooded. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Its chief executive Lewis Ratapu said more permanent housing was needed for the town.
"That will be ... 170 whānau living in temporary accommodation so they need to move somewhere but what happens is what we've found, when whānau move back into their house, another family's moved into that cabin so that's one of the problems, we don't have enough housing, we're still going to get whānau moving into cabins because a lot of the whānau are overcrowded now."
He said the $3 million contribution from the government was disappointing and believed more dedicated resources were needed.
This month the government set up the Temporary Accommodation Service which gives people short- to medium-term housing while repairs are underway.
The government proposed campervans for temporary accommodation, but Ratapu said those would not meet the needs of whānau for long periods of time.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said it was working closely with whānau who had indicated motorhomes would not be suitable.
Water swamped Wairoa in June. Photo: RNZ / Calvin Samuel
Ratapu predicted some whānau could be in cabins for up to two years.
"Now the problem with another 100 homes needing repair, is we're struggling to repair the homes from Cyclone Gabrielle. So probably the families that are from this flood will probably be in their cabins for longer because it's hard to find tradies."
It is not only tiny homes that are helping whānau get through the housing woes.
A huge pātaka distribution site has been set up in the town's old New World. It includes food, clothes and donated appliances.
Around 50 Māori wardens from across the country are volunteering their time in Wairoa and have helped out more than 150 homes so far.
Jordan Winiata said although cleaning products were still needed, whānau were now moving into a phase where they needed supplies to help get their homes in a liveable state.
"We're now starting to get requests for bedding, we're starting to get requests for bigger industrial level dehumidifiers to help dry the homes out, we're now starting to get requests for heating so we're looking at wood deliveries at the moment and getting energy efficient heating."
The regional council's review into June's floods has been released and a government review is due in August.
Ngāti Kahungunu chief executive Bayden Barber said he wanted to see the Māori world view included in the reviews.
"You know our experts in the taiao need to be part of managing the river, managing the bar, but not just that, I think Māori need to be an integral part of response around disasters but also around special planning."
He also wanted Māori to be included in Civil Defence legislation, saying there was no mention of Māori at all.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell said in a statement that he welcomed suggestions from iwi about improvements in the emergency management space.
