Young children and their families are among those living in a south Auckland park, as they play a "waiting game" for social housing.

Dozens of people are homeless and living in cars at Bruce Pulman Park in Takanini, next to a toilet facility provided for campervans.

One of them, Rimini Ihaka, told Newstalk ZB he became homeless after losing his job during the recession.

He said people are becoming homeless because of unemployment, high rents and the lack of affordable housing near employment areas.

Mr Ihaka said some families with young children are on a long waiting list for social housing.

"Are they going to wait until that child gets sick? Are they going to wait until that child gets hurt at night and blame the parents?

"It's not blaming the parents, you can't blame the parents, the parents are trying to look after their children."

Mr Ihaka said while many adults can look after themselves, elderly people and families with young children need housing as soon as possible.

"We [adults] can keep ourselves warm where old people can't. We can speak for ourselves where little kids can't.

"I'd prefer old people and people with kids should have houses, cheap as possible."

Bruce Pulman Park chief executive Brian Blake said he isn't surprised people are living at the park, but is concerned.

"It's not something we're particularly happy with but at the same time, in those cars, they're real people and some of them have real issues.

Mr Blake said south Auckland is not the only part of the country where people, including families, are living in cars.

"We'd desperately love for them to be somewhere else, in a comfortable house, but most people know there's a few more issues than just that going on."