For the first time, the Government will pay for about 240 emergency housing places in the Bay of Plenty over the next four years.

The initiative will see about 3000 emergency housing places throughout the country each year for the next four years.

However, Labour says the announcement is an inevitable consequence of National's failure to address the housing crisis.

Minister of Social Housing Paula Bennett says yesterday's announcement would see people have access to a roof over their head when they need it.

Paula says the Government will provide $41.1 million over the next four years in Budget 2016, for emergency housing and grants.

'Emergency housing provides an essential safety net for people in crisis, and is an opportunity to intervene and support families with complex needs.

'Our Government made a commitment to provide better access to emergency housing for our most vulnerable citizens.

'Emergency housing providers told us accessing funding to provide these places was difficult so now, for the first time, emergency housing will have ongoing, dedicated funding.”

The bulk of the $41.1 million of new operating funding will be used to provide about 3000 emergency housing places each year. It will also be used for emergency housing, special needs grant to support individuals and families with the cost of emergency housing for up to seven days. If they are unable to access a contracted place.

The housing will be available to anyone who can demonstrate they have a genuine need for emergency housing.

The first contracts with providers are expected to be in place by September.

Bay of Plenty can expect about 60 per year over the next four year Paula says.

Labour's housing spokesman Phil Twyford says the Government's emergency housing announcement is the inevitable consequence of National's failure to address the housing crisis and its stubborn determination to sell-off state houses instead of building more.

'New Zealand is witnessing an unprecedented rise in homelessness as a generation of Kiwi families fall between the cracks opened up by John Key allowing the housing crisis to spiral out of control.

'There are thousands of desperate families living in camp grounds, garages and even in cars. This is a direct result of National's refusal to upset the mega profits of foreign speculators, land-bankers and the super-rich.

'If that wasn't bad enough, National is running down state housing, stripping it of resources, and selling off billions of dollars of state land and housing when it should be building more houses.”

Phil says you just have to walk through the centre of our main cities to see the rise in homeless people begging for money or food. New Zealanders hate to see poverty and squalor on our streets.

National MP Simon Bridges says housing is a big issue in Tauranga and he knows there are people struggling to find a home.

'Having somewhere to live is a basic right and emergency housing provides an essential safety net for some of our most vulnerable residents.

'Emergency housing providers are currently under pressure from increased demand on their services so any boost we can give them will go a long way to helping those in need.”

MP Todd Muller dedicated funding for emergency housing in the Bay of Plenty. 'For the Bay of Plenty this will mean 60 places for individuals or families at any one time, for a maximum stay of 3 months. Over a year the emergency housing will provide 240 places for the Bay of Plenty,” says Todd.

'Improved access to emergency housing is vital to support our families and communities.

'There are a number of situations where people and families end up without a home so it is great that the government has seen this opportunity to provide an essential safety net for people in crisis.

'In the past emergency housing providers have found it difficult to access funding to provide places so the ongoing, dedicated funding will ensure stability and certainty for the provision of emergency housing.”