The first of many changes needed to solve the housing  crisis

Housing Minister Megan Woods has announced plans to build eight thousand new homes - possibly the largest public build in decades.

The Real Estate Institute boss, Bindi Norwell, says house prices are outstripping wage increases -- and the next step is to focus on affordable housing.

She says more and more attention is going to how unaffordable housing is in New Zealand -- and it's time for the Government to act.