Just 12 houses of a promised 200 that are meant to get homeless people in Hastings out of motels have so far been finished.
Last year the Government announced a special project for the city to help limit the numbers in motels and promised the new houses by the middle of next year.
Covid-19 put them on the backburner and the wait list continues to rise.
RNZ Hawke's Bay reporter Tom Kitchin has more.