More than 2500 people are on assessment lists for a state house, figures obtained by the National Party under the Official Information Act show.
At the end of December, 2572 people were awaiting assessment for a state house.
Housing Minister Mark Gosche said yesterday that the figures were a reflection of the change in policy for state houses.
The Labour-Alliance Government re-introduced income-related rents for state house tenants and an allocation system based on need.
"What we're doing is we're not putting people on a waiting list who are not entitled," said Mr Gosche.
"What we're saying is, we've got a limited number of houses, they've got to be allocated to the people in greatest need, so let's do an interview with those people and find out what their circumstances are. Do they live in a garage, a tent, a caravan, a shed ... or do they currently have adequate accommodation?"
Previously, houses were let on a first-come, first-served basis and people got away with lying about their income because no checks were made, Mr Gosche said.
"[Housing NZ would] stick you in a house to keep the vacancy rates low because of the profit they had to return to the Government."
National released the figures yesterday as the Government was launching its Healthy Housing project in Auckland.
Under the scheme, 998 states houses will be built, extended or modified to reduce overcrowding, which is believed to have contributed to the high occurrence of illnesses such as meningococcal disease, rheumatic fever and tuberculosis.
Mr Gosche linked one of the health problems to the National Government's decision to introduce market rents.
"The meningococcal epidemic began in 1991, the same year the previous Government introduced market rents," he said.
But National housing spokesman David Carter said the Government's housing policy was leading only to large waiting lists.
"Nationwide, the state house waiting list jumped from 10,038 in October last year to 11,493 at the end of January. We now have a waiting list for a waiting list."
National was predicting families would deliberately worsen their housing situation to secure a higher place on the waiting list. Mr Carter said the Healthy Housing project would not ease the strain.
- NZPA
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