Housing associations are non-profit organisations that are usually created to deal with a specific housing need in an area. Such needs could be identified as those of the elderly, the homeless, people with disabilities, or low income households. Voluntary housing associations help fill the gaps in the housing system by expanding on the supply of good quality social rented accommodation.

Accommodation provided by housing bodies can consist of the typical rental house or apartment, specially designed sheltered/supportive housing with on site communal welfare facilities, or group homes or hostels.

Housing co-operatives are self-help and jointly-owned member/user associations or societies. They build or acquire and manage houses or apartments, with various forms of tenure, in response to community housing needs. The members share responsibility for their co-operative housing enterprises and are represented on the management committees or boards of directors.