The National Māori Housing Conference is taking place in Hastings this week with a sold-out hui.
Ngahiwi Tomoana from Ngāti Kahungunu says there are 1800 people living in emergency housing or camping grounds in Hastings and Napier alone, and almost 80 per cent of them are Māori.
He says there's no clear pathway to a stable home, let alone homeownership.
"The biggest challenge is the inability of the government to support Māori housing issues.
"We know that Māori and iwi know best ... the government has the funding and allocates a slim pushing to papakainga housing."