REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA COMBINED SECOND PERIODIC REPORT UNDER THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE`S RIGHTS and INITIAL REPORT UNDER THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA 450. The Social Housing Act, 2008236establishes and promotes a sustainable social housing environment, provide for the establishment of the Social Housing Regulatory Authority in order to regulate all social housing institutions or housing obtained through public funds and allow for the undertaking of approve project by other delivery agents with the benefits of public money. Social housing means a rental or co-operative housing option for low to medium income households, and the social housing institution is accredited institution to carry out the business of providing social housing. 451. The Department of Human Settlements has taken significant steps in addressing the inequalities that existed in the past as a result of race and gender discrimination. Various regulatory measures have been put in place to encourage financial institutions to extend credit to historically disadvantaged groups. One of these measures was the Home Loan and Mortgage Disclosure Act, 2000237which sought to encourage financial institutions to provide credit to help historically disadvantaged persons to acquire housing. The Housing Consumers Protection Act Measures Act, 1998238 was amended during the period under review, in 2007,239 and provides for the protection of housing consumers and the establishment and functions of the National Home Builders Registration Council. 452. The National Housing Code, 2009 sets the underlying policy principles, guidelines and norms and standards which apply to Government’s various housing assistance programmes introduced since 1994 and updated. The purpose of this guide is to provide an easy to understand overview of the various housing subsidy instruments available to assist low income households to access adequate housing. The detailed description of the policy principles, guidelines, qualification criteria and norms and standards are available in the National Housing Code. 453. The Community Schemes Ombud Service was established in terms of the Community Scheme Ombud Service Act, 2011.240 The CSOS regulates the conduct of parties within community schemes and ensures their good governance. A community scheme is an arrangement where the use and responsibility for parts of land and buildings is shared including sectional titles development schemes, share block companies, home or property owners associations, housing schemes for retired persons and housing cooperatives. Any person in a community scheme may make an application to the CSOS if such a person is a party to or is materially affected by a dispute. 454. South Africa has also put in place policies that increase historically disadvantaged groups’ access to credit to ensure that they are empowered economically. In addressing the needs of the poor for housing and shelter, the Rural Housing Loan Fund has been established to provide loans through intermediaries to low-income households for incremental housing purposes. Incremental housing is a people-driven process that seeks to empower low-income families in rural areas to access credit, to improve their homes 236 Act No. 16 of 2008 Act No. 63 of 2000 238 Act No. 27 of 1999 239 As amended by Act No. 17 of 2007 240 Act No. 9 of 2011 237 124