The sell-off of the city's public housing estates to developers for a modest increase in new homes for the disadvantaged will still leave a huge shortfall on what's needed, a report for councils concludes.

And an academic with a long history studying public housing redevelopment in Melbourne says the Andrews government's public land sale to developers is ill-conceived and should be abandoned.

Northcote housing commission resident of 39 years, Eileen Artmann has been told she has to vacate her apartment by Christmas. Credit:Scott McNaughton

The state government plans to demolish nine ageing public housing estates across Melbourne.

The land will then be sold to developers, to build thousands of new dwellings – some in towers up to 20 storeys high.