Auckland businesses surrounded by City Rail Link (CRL) construction are being denied critical financial support.
Nine months ago a hardship fund was set up to help those hit hardest by the build.
But in figures obtained by Newshub, as of March 60 businesses had either been declined or were still waiting for an answer.
Albert Street in Auckland's City centre bears the scars of a tough few years. It's been hit by a triple whammy of COVID, no tourism and the construction of the city's new underground train network.
"It's noisy and smelly," said shop owner Muoy Khov.
She is pleading for support, saying CRL construction has pushed her to the brink of bankruptcy.
"It's very quiet, like this time - you see, no customer. Like today, no customer. It's very hard to organise."
To answer her call - and many others' - the Targeted Hardship Fund worth $12 million was established in September.
But seven months later, 80 percent of applicants had either been declined or were still waiting approval.
In data obtained exclusively by Newshub, three of the declined businesses were within just 10 metres of the construction - while two were within just five.
Despite having road works right outside, CRL also rejected Khov's application because she's only had the Hollywood bakery for a year.
"She says my business [is] not affected [by] the rail link," Khov said. "They needed bank statements to compare 2019 until this year, 2022 - but I don't have."
CRL said while the criteria is strict, the fund only has so much money.
"That's just a matter of having to have a line - and setting criteria - and there will always be people just outside it," City Rail Link CEO Sean Sweeney said.
Sweeney blames the council for such tight criteria.
"If they're frustrated with our performance they should address our sponsors and that's the Crown and the council," he said.
Auckland Council declined our request for an interview but in a statement to Newshub it said while there will be a "full review of the Fund later this year " but "no changes are planned to the criteria at this point".
Shakespeare Bar owner Sunny Kaushal's application has also been denied. He claims the construction has cost him millions in lost foot-traffic. He's calling for an independent review.
"You see on my back over here, the CRL project is still happening less than 10 metres away whereas the CRL and the Government are still saying these businesses are not affected - it is bizarre."
The City Rail Link says the better connected public transport will eventually bring the foot traffic back.
"I think it's going to fundamentally change the Auckland wider CBD for the better," Sweeney said.
However, businesses are waiting - out of pocket.
