providing, and assisting in the provision of, finance to persons or bodies intending to provide, improve, repair, maintain or manage housing;

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

promoting owner-occupation (especially by those seeking to purchase for the first time), the wider ownership of housing by its occupants and a greater choice of tenancy arrangements;

promoting the provision and improvement of housing and the improvement of management of housing (whether by its occupants or otherwise);

promoting and assisting the development of F4social landlords, maintaining a register of housing associations and exercising supervision and control over registered housing associations;

undertaking, and assisting the undertaking of, the development, redevelopment and improvement of the physical, social, economic and recreational environment related to housing;

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

make grants;

make loans;

acquire, hold and dispose of securities;

guarantee obligations (arising out of loans or otherwise) incurred by other persons, or grant indemnities;

provide or assist in the provision of advisory or other services or facilities for any person;

acquire land by agreement or gift;

acquire land (including servitudes or other rights in or over land by the creation of new rights) compulsorily;

hold and manage land and dispose of, or otherwise deal with, land held by F8them;

acquire and dispose of plant, machinery, equipment and other property;

develop land or carry out works on land, and maintain or assist in the maintenance of any such works;

make land, plant, machinery, equipment and other property available for use by other persons;

appoint other persons to act as F9their agents;

act as agents for other persons;

form companies within the meaning of the M1Companies Act 1985;

form partnerships with other persons;

promote, provide or assist in the provision of, training in matters relating to housing;

carry out, commission or assist in the provision of, research and development;

promote, or assist in the promotion of, publicity relating to F10their general functions under section 1(3) and to matters relating to housing;

make such charge as F11they think fit for any of F9their services;

accept any gift or grant made to F12them for the purposes of any of F10their general functions under section 1(3) and, subject to the terms of the gift or grant and to the provisions of this Act, apply it for those purposes;

turn F13their resources to account so far as they are not required for the exercise of any of F10their general functions under section 1(3).