Some help may be on the way for families sleeping in their cars in a south Auckland park.

Newstalk ZB has revealed anywhere between 20 and 50 cars are parked every night at Bruce Pulman Park in Takanini as their homeless occupants make use of a toilet facility.

MORE: Long social housing 'waiting game' for families with young children

The Ministry of Social Development has said it has become aware of the group and is now working hard to get them the help they need.

Regional Commissioner Blair McKenzie said in the meantime, people in need should get in touch with Work and Income.

He points out that the Government has this week announced several emergency housing initiatives.

Housing New Zealand has said it has 52 vacant houses in Papakura, with 25 of those not presently fit to rent - that's nowhere near enough to accommodate the 109 people on the waiting list for homes in the area.

A HNZ spokeswoman said they do their best to provide the right house to the right person, but demand is high - the Housing New Zealand occupancy rate in March at 97 per cent.

She said of the 27 Housing New Zealand homes ready to let, a family is either about to move in, or the property is in the process of being matched to a family while minor maintenance work is carried out.

The remaining 25 have significant issues such as fire damage, methamphetamine contamination or may be about to be demolished to make way for new homes.