This 900,000 doesn't include places such as the city centre, where higher-density housing, such as apartments, terrace housing and townhouses, are already close to public transport and centres with shops, jobs and community services.
However, the Government's measures go further.
This means the council must enable even more development in the city centre and at least six-storey buildings within "walkable catchments" from the edge of the city centre, metropolitan centres and rapid transit stops and three-storey housing in some residential urban zones.
In response, Auckland Council has proposed what it calls Plan Change 78 to its Unitary Plan.
This will allow the six-storey developments to go up within a 15-minute walk (around 1200m) from the edge of the city centre and within a 10-minute walk (around 800m) from the edge of the metropolitan centres and around rapid transit stops.
Auckland Council has also tried to "ring-fence" some heritage suburbs from the forced intensification by declaring them "special character areas".
Council officials say the recently approved Plan Change 78 will provide an extra 2,389,000 dwellings.
Departing Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has said he favoured protecting as much quality housing as possible. "I don't think the Government has done the right thing in trying to trade off quality for density."
However, the Plan Change 78 proposed by Auckland Council don't go nearly far enough, according to critics including St Mary's Bay resident Trevor Purkis, who says the council has "rolled over in the face of government threats".
Submissions to the Auckland Council plan change closed on Thursday, September 29 and it will be one of the first decisions for the newly elected council.
With a record number of submissions, almost 8000, to the Government's measures when first proposed in 2020, it would be fair to expect the latest feedback to Auckland will also be large in number, and largely opposed.
Housing Minister Megan Woods has already fired several warning shots at Auckland Council for trying to water down the Government's intentions. She has warned of "a range of options for intervention", thought to include appointing a commissioner to take over or court action to force compliance.
Woods said she is not going to sit by and let a status quo that delivered a housing crisis run its course, saying the Auckland Unitary Plan is not delivering the kind of density required in Auckland.
Does Auckland need another 900,000 dwellings? Or 2,389,000?
An Auckland Council report found there was already sufficient plan-enabled development capacity and feasible development capacity under the current market conditions to cater for growth and the projected demand for housing over the next 30 years.
However, the report conceded the delivery of affordable housing at pace and scale will be an ongoing challenge, although this is strongly influenced by many other complex factors outside of the role of territorial authorities.
There is little doubt now that the Government is headed for a showdown over the forced intensification of our largest and fastest-growing cities. It's not just Auckland, the Government's National Policy Statement on Urban Development applies to every city.
This issue in itself is the most significant change facing every city-based household in New Zealand right now. It's the most compelling reason to pay attention to the candidates standing in local elections. And vote.
Voting closes on October 8, at noon
