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An Independent MLC has warned the Tasmanian Government not to push Hobart's homelessness problem to the north and north-west of the state.
A Treasury land audit has identified 139 hectares of new government-owned land that could be rezoned for affordable housing.
But less than half of the land is in Hobart, where the state's housing crisis is at is worst.
There are 11 hectares earmarked for affordable housing in the Derwent Valley, and 45 hectares is located in the Greater Hobart region.
The parcels of land include sites next to Lindisfarne North Primary School in Geilston Bay, a TasWater Sewage Treatment Plant in Risdon, and Springfield Gardens Primary School in West Moonah.
About 38 hectares have been identified in Launceston, at sites like the Technopark industrial area, and 45ha between Burnie and Devonport.
The report also mentions the previously announced 100ha of Housing Tasmania land including 67ha at Huntingfield in Kingborough which is underway and will provide 273 residential lots.
At the emergency housing summit in Hobart on Thursday, the Government said it would "work the private and community housing sectors to release land packages, unlocking up to 3,000 new homes".
On Friday afternoon, Premier Will Hodgman clarified the figure was actually 2,000 new homes.
The Treasury report admitted rezoning the land was a medium to long-term solution.
Building the houses could take years, and with the Greater Hobart region needing an extra 5,000 homes, the land release alone will not solve the housing shortage.
Independent MLC Ivan Dean said whatever the figure, the lion share should be built in Hobart.
"These people should be in places where there are opportunities for employment, if you are going to push them into one area and use the north of the state for that purpose, it is wrong," he said.
"It is not the way to go, in my view at all."
Neighbourhood Houses Tasmania chief executive John Hooper said although the Government should plan for a similar housing shortage in Launceston, Hobart should be the focus.
"People have connections with school for their kids, jobs and connections with community and support that would be ripped about if they had to move to the other side of the state just for housing."
On the streets of Launceston, reactions to the prospect of more affordable housing in the area were mixed.
"Launceston already has its own problems. It's nice to spread the load, but you've got to draw the line somewhere," Trent Mitchell said.
"I don't see why not, it could be a good solution," Caitlin Gill said.
"I don't like to see people being homeless, I know what it's like to be homeless myself," Jarad Falk said.
Launceston Mayor Albert Van Zetten said he was happy to work with the State Government.
"If people want to move to Launceston we are more than happy to accept them."
At a press conference about affordable housing in Launceston, Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff was asked if the Government intended to push poor people to the north of the state.
"Well no, the report today identified some 239 hectares," he said.
"A very large amount of opportunity to address the affordable housing challenge we have that is the product of a growing economy.
"We recognise the affordable housing challenge in southern Tasmania, and of course we'll be addressing that we have a range of options to address that."
Topics: housing, government-and-politics, housing-industry, welfare, community-and-society, tas
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