Government is wedged between a rock and hard place, needing to increase quantity, quality of the current homes being built in a dramatically shorter space of time than it currently takes. As you pointed out in your article, various market forces often conspire to hinder the eradication of the backlog. More money alone is not part of the solution. There is a paradox in housing delivery that ensures that the better the economic conditions become in a country the more difficult it is for a government to deliver adequate houses.

The 2.2m backlog in South Africa, 10m one in China and 400,000 one in the UK illustrates the point. By way of example, if the additional R102bn that is estimated to be required would be made available, the lag in additional import and manufacturing capacity would mean that demand forces would increase the prices of materials in a prohibitive way as many construction booms have shown.
Source: Imison