A housing authority or ministry of housing is generally a
governmental body
A government or state agency, sometimes an appointed commission, is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an administrati ...
that governs aspects of
housing or (called in general "
shelter" or "living spaces"), often providing low rent or free apartments to qualified residents. The existence of government agencies specifically concerned with ensuring that housing is available to people living in the country is a comparatively modern development, with the first such agencies being established in U.S. cities in the 1930s, the height of the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
.
Specific housing authorities
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Hong Kong Housing Authority
The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) is the main provider of public housing in Hong Kong. It was established in April 1973 under the Housing Ordinance and is an agency of the Government of Hong Kong. In the same year, the Resettlement Departm ...
* Singapore
Housing and Development Board
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (UK, since 2006)
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Ministry of Housing and Local Government (UK, historic)
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United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
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United States Housing Authority (United States, historic)
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Boston Housing Authority
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Chicago Housing Authority
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Home Forward, formerly the Housing Authority of Portland
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Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles
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New York City Housing Authority
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San Francisco Housing Authority
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Housing and Property Development Authority
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Toronto Community Housing Corporation
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Department of Building and Housing (New Zealand), formerly the Ministry of Housing, New Zealand
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Northern Ireland Housing Executive
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Ministry of Local Government Development
See also
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Public housing
{{Types of government ministers and ministries
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