Up to 1000 people, young and old, slept in their cars at the Park Up Homes event in Mangere last night.
Spokeswoman for the cause, Annaliese Johnston, said this morning they were thrilled about the number of people, many of them children, who had turned out to support.
"They just kept coming until quite late. We're estimating about 600 cars and there's quite a few people. There's families in those cars. So I think we probably met our expectation of about 1000 people, which is awesome."
Ms Johnston said many had arrived after seeing the event publicised on Facebook.
People felt they needed to support those within their community who were forced to live in their cars because they could not afford a home.
Others admitted they too had been in the same situation at some point of their lives.
"It's a real mix [of people], but there's a collective sense of wanting better and wanting something different for our country," Ms Johnston said.
"I think it's just awesome to see people getting on board this waka and saying: 'Our family wants to stand with your family'."
Park Up events are being planned in Otara, South Auckland, and Wellington within the next week.
Ms Johnston, who was among organisers to sleep in their vehicles last night. admitted she had struggled to sleep because of the cold.
"It's pretty full on. I don't know how people do it every night and then go to work the next morning. It's incredible."
**For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/parkupforhomes/
