South Africa has not been excluded to the impact and devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Not only has the pandemic manifested as a health problem but has enlarged the problem of access to decent housing, mainly in the urban areas. Using literature review, this paper discusses the responsiveness of various regulatory frameworks and institutional arrangements that serve as governance mechanisms in the development of low-income housing within the South African context. The focus is to analyse the impact of legislative and policy prescripts that seek to promote governance principles including, participation, transparency and accountability in the low-income housing delivery processes.  Institutional arguments are centred on institutions that structure action and constitute the interests and participation of actors without requiring authoritative intervention to achieve these regularities. The findings are that the legislative frameworks including the Constitution of South Africa and the Housing Act clearly articulate aspects of governance including citizen participation, accountability and transparency. However, the perspectives of the low-income housing beneficiaries through subsidized housing programmes demonstrate levels of dissatisfaction attributed to lack of involvement, quality and other aspects. With additional impact of the current pandemic, the study recommends that the housing policies need to take into consideration enforcement of governance principles.  South Africa has not been excluded to the impact and devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Not only has the pandemic manifested as a health problem but has enlarged the problem of access to decent housing, mainly in the urban areas. Using literature review, this paper discusses the responsiveness of various regulatory frameworks and institutional arrangements that serve as governance mechanisms in the development of low-income housing within the South African context. The focus is to analyse the impact of legislative and policy prescripts that seek to promote governance principles including, participation, transparency and accountability in the low-income housing delivery processes.  Institutional arguments are centred on institutions that structure action and constitute the interests and participation of actors without requiring authoritative intervention to achieve these regularities. The findings are that the legislative frameworks including the Constitution of South Africa and the Housing Act clearly articulate aspects of governance including citizen participation, accountability and transparency. However, the perspectives of the low-income housing beneficiaries through subsidized housing programmes demonstrate levels of dissatisfaction attributed to lack of involvement, quality and other aspects. With additional impact of the current pandemic, the study recommends that the housing policies need to take into consideration enforcement of governance principles.