Public housing may be a form of
housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local.
Social housing is an
umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the two, usually with the aim of providing
affordable housing. Social housing can also be seen as a potential remedy to
housing inequality. Some social housing organizations construct for purchase, particularly in Spain and to an extent elsewhere.