A Taranaki woman recently diagnosed with Huntington's disease has been waiting for a state house for nearly a year, as the number of Kiwis on the waiting list grows.
Noeline Bunyan's struggles come as the social housing list went up three per cent in the three months to March , with just over 11,000 people now waiting for a home.
She's on the high priority list, given her needs and those of her disabled sister and autistic foster son.
"I ended up having a breakdown two months ago because I was so stressed out and nowhere to go," Ms Bunyan, who has to use a wheelchair, told 1 NEWS.
Read more: Social housing waiting list up 40 per cent on same time last year
Acting as her advocate, her other son is desperately talking to Government departments.
"It's been a difficult battle, I've had a lot of oh yeah you're on the list, we're looking into it, we'll help," Dennis Bunyan says.
Frustration boiled over for him when it was suggested she may have to live in a motel or camp ground.
"It'll kill her, I just couldn't believe it," he said.
Housing Minister Phil Twyford says while the growth in people waiting is slowing, the housing crisis is showing no sign of easing.
"I expect these numbers to get worse as we approach winter, that always happens as people realise cold weather and substandard housing means their kids start to get sick," Mr Twyford says.
However, good news may be in sight, with Housing New Zealand telling 1 NEWS a modified home may soon be available for Ms Bunyan and her family.
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