The Maitai River, Nelson, in flood on 18 August. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Damage to properties after the severe weather resulted in 127 homes being red stickered and 104 yellow stickered.
Nelson mayor Rachel Reese said finding places to stay for people who could not return to their houses was a major focus of the council's welfare team.
"We are desperate for homes for our displaced people" - Nelson mayor Rachel Reese
"It's really hard. People are managing to get accommodation for a couple of days and then they're needing to move.
"Welfare teams have got this as a major focus.
"If anyone in Nelson has got a self-contained apartment, home, where it's not being used at the moment we really want to hear from them."
Motel and hotel operators were looking at whether they could consolidate tourist bookings and leave longer term spaces for people displaced at the moment.
The council was also exploring whether Airbnb accommodation could be a longer term option.
Nelson mayor Rachel Reese. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
"Some people will not be going home for many, many months.
"We're talking to anybody that can offer us accommodation."
Some may never get to return to their homes, where there has been significant slip and instability damage, but the number at this stage was unclear, she said. There was be welfare support for anyone in that situation.
"We really can't get to the point of talking numbers at the moment because the ground is still so wet and that's a critical part of what's going to determine the next investigations by the geotechnical team."
One area of focus was the Tāhunanui hillside, where there had been long-standing management, and any building work had to be carefully assessed.
"That's a focus area for our teams at the moment - they've got monitoring equipment in there so that they can really keep track of what's happening."