Housing cooperative
A cooperative (or co-op), is a group of people who voluntarily join together in a jointly-owned and democratic enterprise with the aim of meeting their social and economic needs. A housing cooperative is a form of community-led housing that allows local communities play a central role in providing their own housing. By combining the resources of the members, their buying power can be leveraged, lowering the individual cost of the services and products relating to home ownership.
A housing cooperative is similar to a housing association, in that it is a legal entity which owns real estate, but differs in that it is managed by its tenants, either fully or the majority. Each member of the cooperative is granted the right to occupy one housing unit, acting as a share purchase in the legal entity.
The ethos behind housing cooperatives is that it enables members more control over their community housing and encourages greater cooperation with others.
Housing cooperatives are registered with the Registrar of Friendly Societies at the Financial Services Authority (FSA). A registered cooperative can lease or purchase real estate which is then rented out to the members. The members pay rent to the cooperative, which acts as their landlord.
Generally, housing cooperatives can be categorised as either non-ownership (non-equity) cooperatives, whereby occupancy agreements often grant occupancy rights, similar to a lease; or ownership (equity) cooperatives, whereby purchase agreements often grant occupancy rights.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
A brief description of a smart construction dashboard, collecting as-built data, as a s site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure bill oulined
With reactions from IHBC and others on its potential impacts.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.
Building Engineering Business Survey Q1 2025
Survey shows growth remains flat as skill shortages and volatile pricing persist.