East Renfrewshire’s scrutiny committee has questioned why the council receives less money for new-build projects.
Funding is provided by the Scottish Government, through the affordable housing supply programme.
The standard grant per unit given to East Renfrewshire Council is £59,000.
Housing associations receive more than £70,000 per unit, a council report states.
A council officer said: “It is an historic issue. I believe the rational was originally that because local authorities can access loans via the Public Works Loan Board, it was felt local authorities had access to cheaper finance and therefore required less of a subsidy.”
He added the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) is lobbying the Scottish Government to change subsidy arrangements “so they are more favourable” to councils.