There are calls for the government to build more social housing.

A temporary government scheme to place homeless people in motels for a week has become so entrenched that thousands of families are getting stuck in their makeshift homes for up to a year.

A new report has revealed there are 3000 households in motels, costing $100 million a year.

Auckland Action Against Poverty coordinator Ricardo Menendez March told Mike Hosking they have a waiting list of 12,000 families.

He says the government is only planning on building half that and they have 3000 people waiting for state homes and another huge number of people in and out of motels, homeless or in overcrowded home.

"It's unacceptable for 3000 people to be living in motels and being charged up to $2000 a week. The government doesn't have it's priorities right when it comes to families."

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