Christchurch's deputy mayor hopes to reach a settlement with the Earthquake Commission over damage to the council's social housing stock in six to eight weeks.
The council is the second largest provider of social housing in the country and all but 27 of its 2500 units have been damaged in the earthquakes.
A failure to settle its claim has meant only a handful of units have been repaired, affecting hundreds of tenants, and contributing to the city's housing shortage.
Deputy mayor Vicki Buck says she's optimistic negotiations with the commission can be concluded soon and doesn't know why it's taken so long.
She's hopeful a settlement can be reached whereby the commission pays out a lump sum to the council.
