Hundreds of Housing New Zealand homes are sitting vacant because of methamphetamine contamination.

The state owned housing company's Chief Executive Glen Sowry has outlined the size of the problem to MPs at a select committee hearing at Parliament today.

He says 350 of their homes are currently sitting vacant because tenants have consumed, and in some cases manufactured P in their homes to the stage they're not healthy, or safe, to live in.

Sowry said Housing New Zealand were going to spend between $12 and $13 million on remediation this financial year. Five houses will be demolished because they're damaged beyond repair.

During other questioning, the high turnover of board members at the government agency was put down to pay.

Director fees at Housing new Zealand have recently been raised from $30,000 a year to $49,000-

It follows a period where it operated with a reduced board with just five members.

Housing New Zealand's chair, Adrienne Young-Cooper, said remuneration can be a factor for some board members and she's aware it has been mentioned, not just at Housing New Zealand, but in the broader Crown environment.

"When you look at the scale of responsibility and the amount of work, then obviously for some board members that may be an issue for them and I am aware that it's been mentioned," she said.