The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) helps create successful communities by making more homes and business premises available to the residents and businesses who need them. We also regulate social housing providers in England. The HCA is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government. We work locally in individual communities to help meet local priorities. We own public land, which we sell to house builders and others. This is one of the ways in which we overcome barriers to development and help increase the speed with which house builders can build new homes. We also regulate social housing providers (mostly housing associations) in England. We do this to protect social housing assets - making sure that social homes remain available to tenants, and that the taxpayers’ investment in those homes is protected.