(1)A local authority may promote—
(a)the formation of bodies to act as registered social landlords,
(b)the development of registered social landlords.
(2)A local authority may provide assistance to a registered social landlord or to any other person concerned with—
(a)providing, improving, adapting, repairing, maintaining and managing housing,
(b)undertaking, and assisting the undertaking of, the development, redevelopment and improvement of the physical, social, economic and recreational environment related to housing,
(c)preventing or alleviating homelessness,
or related matters.
(3)A local authority may provide assistance to an individual in connection with the acquisition, construction, improvement, repair or maintenance of housing accommodation by that individual.
(4)Assistance under subsection (2) may, in particular, be in the form of—
(a)grants or loans to the landlord or person,
(b)subscribing for share or loan capital of the landlord or person,
(c)guaranteeing or joining in guaranteeing the payment of the principal of, and interest on, money borrowed by the landlord or person (including money borrowed by the issue of loan capital) or of interest on share capital issued by the landlord or person,
(d)granting indemnities,
(e)acquiring, holding, managing and disposing of land,
(f)providing or arranging for the provision of advice, training or other services and facilities,
(g)making available the services of staff of the local authority,
(h)carrying out or commissioning research and related activities,
(i)providing or arranging for the provision of information relating to housing.
(5)Assistance under subsection (2)—
(a)of a kind mentioned in subsection (4)(c) or (d), or
(b)which the authority proposes to carry to the debit of its housing revenue account kept under section 203 of the 1987 Act,
may be provided only with the consent of the Scottish Ministers.
(6)Assistance under subsection (3) may, in particular, be of a kind mentioned in subsection (4)(a), (c), (e) to (g) or (i).