The Breaking New Ground Policy has played a major role in guiding the development of sustainable human settlements. It has also played a major role in guiding the formulation of housing policy amongst municipalities. For example in the City of Johannesburg it has influenced key policy documents such as the Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) 2040 and the Sustainable Human Settlement Urbanisation Plan. This report aimed to investigate how the notion of sustainable human settlements intersects with peopleās livelihoods. In other words, the research focused on how Pennyville is experienced as a sustainable human settlement by its residents. This intersection was guided by three key themes i.e. sustainable human settlements conceptualisation in theory and in South African housing policy, and sustainable livelihoods. The research aimed at understanding the intersection of the aforementioned things. Perhaps one of the main findings of the research was that the relationship between sustainable livelihoods and sustainable human settlements policy is fuzzy within the policy documents and in practice.