Calm before the storm for Auckland's flood-risk communities as the council takes action. 

It'll buy more than 1200 high risk homes by the end of the year, at a cost of $352 million. 

A large chunk of the land will be retained for flood resilience and safer areas will be sold for development. 

Auckland Council Policy and Planning Committee Chair Richard Hills told Mike Hosking it's going to be a long road. 

He says people will find it hard seeing houses removed from the street they live on. 

The Council has also acknowledged the time it's taken to take action on flood risk areas. 

Hills says he hoped it would be a faster process. 

He told Hosking homeowners could apply to be categorised for most of last year, and then needed individual assessments. 

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