Building more public housing is a critical part of the solution to tackle homelessness, reduce the need for transitional housing, and house thousands of New Zealanders in need. The Government has committed to increasing public housing by around 6,400 homes over the next four years 1,600 a year on average. Demand for public housing is increasing. Over the past few years, the need for housing has outstripped supply, making it hard for much low-income New Zealanders to find or sustain private rental market tenancies.