Housing Cooperatives Research Articles

Crisis of housing cooperatives in Mexico City: A struggle for Palo Alto

This article features a conversation with Luis Márquez Cruz and Fabiola Carrera from the Palo Alto Cooperative, delving into the history and ongoing struggles of one of Mexico City's oldest housing cooperatives. Formed in the 1980s based on principles of solidarity, mutual aid, and self-management, the cooperative provided affordable housing to working-class families. However, changes to cooperative laws in 1994 halted new cooperative projects and shifted government support to private developers. Today, Palo Alto faces internal divisions as some members push for the cooperative's dissolution and sale of property amidst rising real estate prices, while others fight to preserve collective ownership. The article explores the cooperative’s international alliances, political training, and grassroots organizing efforts, highlighting the urgency of defending cooperative housing as an alternative to Mexico City's increasingly commodified and exclusionary housing market.

Latin American networking and cooperative struggles in Argentina: A conversation with the Movimiento de Ocupantes e Inquilinos (MOI)

This conversation examines the Movimiento de Ocupantes e Inquilinos (MOI) in Argentina, a grassroots organization promoting cooperative, self-managed housing for over 30 years. Based on a conversation with Néstor Jeifetz, the article traces the origins of the MOI from the 1980s building occupations in Buenos Aires, through its connection to the broader Latin American cooperative housing movement, including the creation of the Latin American Secretariat for Popular Housing and Habitat (SELVIHP). The article explores how MOI’s efforts to reclaim vacant urban properties—such as the La Fábrica cooperative housing project—address the critical need for secure, affordable housing in a context of neoliberal economic policies and external debt crises. Jeifetz discusses the political ramifications of recent far-right victories in Argentina, which threaten hard-won social rights and self-managed housing initiatives, as well as the MOI’s role in resisting these policies through a framework of collective ownership, democratic decision-making, and mutual aid. By highlighting the intersections of housing with education, health, and labor, and situating the MOI’s work within a larger history of land and building occupations across Abya-Yala, this article provides a nuanced understanding of the ongoing struggles for housing justice in the face of both local and global neoliberal forces.

Cooperativism as pedagogy: Conversation with Gustavo Machado a lecturer and researcher from Facultad de Ciencias Sociales de la Universidad de la República

This conversation with Gustavo Machado discusses the role of cooperativism as a pedagogical process in Uruguay. Machado emphasizes how cooperatives serve as models for housing production and transformative social learning processes, embedding collective action and mutual aid into daily life. He distinguishes between housing, habitat, and inhabitation, advocating for a broader understanding of living that transcends physical structures and integrates social, cultural, and communal dimensions. Our conversation delves into the political significance of cooperatives in the face of neoliberalism, positioning them as alternatives to market-based housing models. Machado discusses the challenges cooperatives face, such as state regulation and the need for flexibility in adapting to changing life circumstances. He also reflects on his personal experiences growing up in a cooperative during Uruguay's dictatorship, which shaped his political and professional views. The article highlights the intersection of cooperativism with broader social movements, such as gender equality and mental health, and the importance of international dialogue in expanding cooperative housing models across Latin America.

Governor’s houses: unique Gothenburg workers’ housing

ABSTRACT ‘Governor's houses' were built between 1875 and 1945 as workers’ housing in Gothenburg. Typically, they comprised a ground floor made of brick and two storeys built in wood. They were narrow houses with staircases lit by daylight and the apartments were illuminated from both sides. Though they were cheap to build and popular homes for half of the city's population in the late 1930s, this type of housing was not reproduced anywhere else. The initiative came from a Workers’ Building Association and was supported by Gothenburg town architect Victor Gegerfelt. Around 1900, governor's houses were mainly built by speculative builders, often with poor quality, resulting in low reputation. From 1910 architects started to design them and large builders like the municipal housing companies and cooperative HSB got involved. The same basic typology followed changing ideals in exterior design and town planning from the 1910s to the 1930s. In the 1960s and 1970s, almost half of the stock of governor’s houses was demolished, mainly the older and more central ones. The conclusion raises the counterfactual question of why those houses were not built elsewhere and what would be needed to reintroduce this type of housing.

Wooden Käpylä - the birth of a garden city

ABSTRACT The Finnish Housing Reform Association was set up in 1910 to promote public housing with new social ideas in housing design. After World War I, the association took the initiative to design affordable housing for the district of Käpylä in Helsinki. Construction was postponed by the years of instability that followed the Civil War of spring 1918. In early 1920, the City of Helsinki organised the subscription of shares in the People's Housing Company Ltd. Four– or two–family houses and even dwellings consisting of a room and a kitchen were a huge improvement to rental barracks. The quality of housing further enhanced by garden plots and communal saunas. Construction of the district resulted in notable stylistic variety. The scale of the area and the new efficient timber construction system that aimed at affordability and short construction times made Wooden Käpylä exceptional. In 1960, a design competition was organised that, had it gone ahead, would have meant the destruction of the Käpylä. The competition drew sharp criticism, and in 1971 Wooden Käpylä became protected in the master plan. Today, the street plan offers surprising views and a sense of freedom relative to previous as well as concurrent enclosed blocks.

A Conceptual Framework for the Activation of Sustainable Cooperative Housing Production in Saudi Arabia

A Conceptual Framework for the Activation of Sustainable Cooperative Housing Production in Saudi Arabia

Retail company voluntary arrangements: A dubious remedy?

AbstractDespite much debate on Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVA) among UK retailers, understanding of retail CVAs remains limited. There is continuing uncertainty about the uptake of CVAs, what aspects lead to successful outcomes and whether CVAs can be viewed as a remedy for struggling UK retailers. To address these questions, we developed and analysed a novel and detailed dataset of Companies House records for the population of retailers' CVAs between mid‐2012 and early 2021. We find that CVAs, despite detrimental impacts on other actors (landlords and suppliers), can be a useful tool for some retailers in adjusting to the new market conditions. The uptake of CVAs among retailers is stable, though not among large retailers. Retail CVAs help to avoid immediate business failure, but we found limited evidence of the success and efficient longer term outcome of the procedure, suggesting that alternative methods could be considered. The success and efficiency of CVA do not seem to depend on the size of the business, but there are variations in both the uptake and efficiency of CVAs across retail sub‐sectors. This suggests that a range of mechanisms are required to cater to the different needs across retail categories. Despite the market challenges, CVAs are not prolonged on average. However, longer duration CVAs seem to have a lower chance of succeeding and of being efficient implying that CVA cannot remedy fundamental business issues. Finally, we observed differences related to who oversees the procedure, suggesting that greater emphasis should be put on upskilling and selection of insolvency practitioners.

Investing in Canadian Senior Housing Companies: Chartwell, Sienna, and Extendicare*

Investing in Canadian Senior Housing Companies: Chartwell, Sienna, and Extendicare^*

Policy amnesia and the promise of housing cooperatives: Finnish housing cooperativism from 1920 to 2020

Finland seems to suffer from a kind of ‘policy amnesia’ when it comes to the topic of housing cooperatives. Tracing back from 1920 to 2020, this article analyses waves of experimentation and political debate with housing cooperativism across both housing production and consumption. Supplementing a document analysis with expert interviews, it investigates which cooperatively-organized modes of housing provision were able to institutionalize in the Finnish housing system, when, and why this did (or did not) happen, and what roles they have played in the broader housing regime. It argues that, whilst building cooperatives grew into large and powerful actors in the Finnish housing system, cooperative tenure has never managed to expand beyond a niche mode of housing provision. This article investigates why, and suggests three interrelated factors: the relationship between housing cooperatives and Finland’s ideologically fragmented cooperative movement, the pragmatic and piecemeal reform of Finnish housing policy and politics, and the co-optation and ‘companization’ of cooperative identity.

Rare yet relevant: Trondheim Cooperative Housing Association

ABSTRACT The paper explores the history of the housing cooperative Trondhjems Kooperative Boligselskap (TKB) [The Trondheim Cooperative Housing Association] in relation to societal and political currents in contemporary Norway. The article also discusses how the neighbourhood and its architectural layout were adapted to changing uses over a 100-year period. Established in 1922, the TKB is the second-oldest housing cooperative in Norway. An important distinction from similar cooperatives was its construction process, where members of the construction workers’ union built their own homes and set up a production unit to continue developing new projects. Two related movements contributed to the TKBB’s foundation: Firstly, the work of the Norwegian Association of Housing Reforms, and the Own Homes movement, both inspired by the Ebenezer Howard Garden City concept. Secondly, the labour movement, which initiated the construction of the TKB. The main actor behind the housing association was the Norwegian architect and planner, Sverre Pedersen. Consisting of 86 units in 11 duplexes and 16 quadruplexes, the timber houses are organized with small gardens and within larger green communal spaces. The article elaborates on how elements from the TKB’s organizational and architectural principles are relevant to developing social housing in Norway today.

Organising help for the Jews on the Aryan side

During the Nazi occupation of Poland thousands of Jews lived hidden on the ‘Aryan’ side. Someof them helped one another by maintaining contacts and establishing a network of mutual assistance.Such Jewish networks, called natural networks, were created by family members, friends and peoplefrom other cities who sought anonymity in occupied Warsaw. Other networks – associative – werecreated by Jews and Poles who shared a common world view or ideology (for instance, membershipin political parties) and who, somewhat on top of other forms of activity, offered help to thosein hiding. Based on personal contacts and trust, the networks would expand with time and growingneeds, encompassing a growing number of Jews. From the very beginning of the occupation theaid to Jews had an individual character (meaning that it was provided by family members, friends,or neighbors) or a communal one – a lot has been written about the aid provided by journalistsphysicians, members of housing cooperatives, students of Professor Baley, or socialists. In thistext I take a look at yet another type of aid – an institutionalized network, that is one organized deliberatelyby the underground exclusively for the purpose of aiding Jews in hiding, a network whichconstantly expanded, taking a form of organized, planned activities.In this article I concentrate on several aspects of an institutionalized network – the only one of thiskind in Warsaw. I am interested in the human dimension – I shall not write about the organizationalor political aspects of the functioning of the Council for Aid to Jews. I am interested in practicalissues, the possible maximum scope of the network, and particularly the helpers’ actions. I shall startwith a specific case study of the aid provided within the framework of the help network.

Housing customization: envisioning an interface to support co-design processes

PurposeThere are several studies showing that end-users' participation in the architectural design process of houses is critical to their satisfaction (e.g. Önder et al., 2010; Ammar et al., 2013). Housing that is not adjusted to inhabitants' needs leads to modification works (Davidson et al., 2007) that could be avoided if their design was defined from the beginning with their participation. Digital technologies, such as 3D interactive visualization, benefit co-design processes by helping non-specialists better understand space and design possibilities (Salter et al., 2009; Schroth et al., 2006). However, the available literature shows that existing co-design digital tools were not developed based on potential users’ requirements. This paper aims to define the user requirements of a co-design tool for housing customization.Design/methodology/approachInterviews were conducted to gather information on how participatory processes occur in housing cooperatives and identify how potential users can collaborate in the design definition of their houses using a digital tool.FindingsThe interviews were analyzed, and requirements were defined.Originality/valueThis work contributes to the advancement of knowledge since the tool is defined based on requirements collected from potential end-users. By using a user-centered approach, the tool can contribute to more effective and informed collaboration.

Exploring the conditions for the emergence and sustainability of housing cooperatives in Latin America

Housing cooperatives are being reconsidered in many countries worldwide as potentially relevant actors in the provision of affordable housing. This is also the case in Latin America, characterised by neo-liberal housing policies that have led to an increasing financialization of housing and marginalisation of the poor. Uruguay is an exception, with housing cooperatives playing a key role in the provision of affordable housing. For over two decades its Federation of Mutual Aid Housing Cooperatives (FUCVAM) has been advocating and actively supporting the establishment of cooperative housing in the region. In this paper, we examine the opportunities and challenges of housing cooperatives to penetrate in Colombia and El Salvador’s housing systems, two countries historically characterised by neo-liberal housing regimes. Based on empirical research in Uruguay, Colombia, and El Salvador, we will analyse the socioeconomic, political, and institutional factors that enable or constrain the emergence of housing cooperatives and their sustainability over time.

Neoliberalisation through naming: place naming and shifting modes of housing production in Ankara

Place names play an important role in neoliberal urban development. The naming of a housing estate, especially a gated community, is instrumental in constructing the image and intended sense of community of an estate. This paper scrutinises the naming of housing estates in Incek, one of the most prestigious suburbs of Ankara, Turkey. While development in the area began with middle-class housing cooperatives, today Incek is marketed as an idyllic landscape embodying high-rise luxurious gated communities. We show that the naming of the housing estates not only reflects but also contributes to the shift in the mode of production from housing cooperatives to gated communities built and marketed by large-scale companies. Additionally, the name Incek has come to refer to not only the official boundaries of the neighbourhood but a larger territory, which illustrates the unfixed nature of toponyms in terms of location. Finally, the paper shows that there is a reciprocal relationship between the toponym and the image of a particular district, which can affect the functions and activities that flourish within it.

Designing Social Media Marketing Strategies Targeting Generation Z for Subsidized Housing in Indonesia (A Case Study of Pt. Graha Putra Asido)

PT. Graha Putra Asido, a housing company in Pematangsiantar, focuses on subsidized housing but lacks a targeted marketing strategy, with only 22.22% of their buyers being Generation Z despite this group dominating Indonesia’s subsidized housing program. To avoid market loss and capitalize on Gen Z’s significant social media usage, this research is done, aiming to propose appropriate marketing strategies tailored to Generation Z preferences and behaviors to enhance PT. Graha Putra Asido’s market reach and engagement, using the P.O.S.T method and a touch on P.O.E.M Strategies. Through a mixed-method approach, including a market survey and key informant interviews, the study explores Gen Z’s social media patterns, preferences, and the company’s current marketing strategies. The research concludes with a comprehensive plan, including a Gantt chart, to achieve three main objectives by implementing targeted social media strategies, such as optimized posting schedules, platform-focused content, engaging visuals, influencer partnerships, and interesting campaigns tailored to Generation Z preferences.

Municipal housing queues as a generator of housing inequalities between natives and immigrants in Sweden

The ongoing debate on Swedish municipal housing’s universalist characteristics has focused on declining supply, stricter access criteria, and changing tenant demographics. This study addresses a research gap by examining how Swedish municipal housing queues, prioritizing apartment allocation by registration duration, influence tenant selection. Using a unique dataset from Bostaden, Umeå’s municipal housing company, linked to register data, the study investigates factors influencing housing queue accumulation and usage, with a focus on immigrant background. It further analyses how immigrant background affects the timing of exiting the housing queue to secure apartments. Furthermore, the study explores how the immigrant background of individuals obtaining queue-assigned apartments influences neighbourhood demographics. The findings highlight the substantial challenges faced by immigrants, particularly those from the Global South, in terms of housing queue accumulation, utilization, and neighbourhood attainment. These insights reveal how housing queues, as seniority-based rationing mechanisms, contribute to the perpetuation of housing and socio-spatial inequalities in Swedish cities.

Implementing housing policies for a sufficient lifestyle

The German buildings sector is currently facing a double challenge: meeting emission reduction targets and providing affordable housing in rapidly growing cities. Living space per person has a major impact on household energy consumption and it has increased significantly in recent decades. New construction increases the demand for often energy-intensive building materials, and energy demand during the use phase of buildings is positively related to the size of the space. Optimising the allocation of living space therefore offers great potential for addressing both challenges. Sufficiency policies such as flat exchanges, a financial bonus for moving and the provision of moving advice aim to reduce the total floor area in the housing sector by using existing space more efficiently. However, the effectiveness of such measures is not yet fully understood. As the sufficiency approach relies heavily on individual choices, residents’ involvement, perception and acceptance are crucial for the success of such measures. An investigation in selected German housing companies shows that the potential of these measures is not fully exploited under the current political and social framework in Germany. Social acceptance, new norms and business models for landlords are needed for the effective use of these measures. Policy relevance How effective is the implementation of sufficiency measures for space utilisation in the German rental housing sector? The success factors and limiting barriers of the measures along with the acceptability and effectiveness of these measures are investigated by interviewing housing companies (some of them social housing providers) that have the potential to implement such policies in their housing stock. Improvements are needed in the social and technical infrastructure to increase the effectiveness of the measures. Raising awareness, rethinking communications and designing effective financial incentives are recommended to make the measures attractive to the public. Involving all stakeholders, keeping the issue on the political agenda and engaging in dialogue with policymakers are considered effective steps in the process of achieving space sufficiency in the housing sector.

The politics of land management after disasters: the case of post-earthquake reconstruction in Türkiye

PurposeIn this paper, we explore the impact of land management practices on post-disaster housing, to draw lessons from the case of reconstruction in Türkiye.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted two qualitative case studies of two reconstruction experiences following the 2020 Elazığ and İzmir earthquakes. We analyzed 70 articles, technical reports and press releases and then used a set of policy analysis tools to examine five policy documents in depth. Finally, we wanted to understand how key officers interpreted these policy documents, so we closely analyzed the transcripts of eight semi-structured interviews.FindingsTürkiye’s legal framework comprises five main policies that concentrate power in the central government and are not tailored to post-disaster reconstruction. This framework facilitates the construction of rubber-stamped apartment buildings, which disregard cultural and social contexts and practices. The current reconstruction policy neglects alternative options like cooperative housing, which could better respond to communal needs and expectations. It also often leads to the loss of land rights among affected residents.Research limitations/implicationsWe only analyzed decision-making processes in two case studies and based our study on a limited number of interviews. Therefore, it is difficult to generalize our results and apply them to other contexts. Further quantitative and qualitative work is necessary to conceptualize the links between land management and post-disaster housing reconstruction.Practical implicationsOur findings suggest a need for legislative frameworks specifically designed to address land management during post-disaster reconstruction. The concentration of power in central governments is problematic, thus it remains crucial to empower local authorities by reinforcing technical expertise and facilitating administrative autonomy.Originality/valueThis study offers unique insights into how power relations influence land management practices in post-disaster housing reconstruction. Examining the centralization of power and its impact on cultural and social practices identifies common forms of dispossession and points to key areas for policy improvement.

Kualitas Produk dan Harga Motor Beat terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Konsumen Dealer Honda Muara Bulian (Studi Kasus Masyarakat Perumnas Muara Bulian)

This study will describe respondent responses to product quality, price, and purchasing decisions. This study is quantitative research, using a questionnaire given to the sample. This research was conducted at a Honda dealer at the Muara Bulian National Housing community who bought the BEAT motorcycle in 2022. In Research, researchers took a sample of 66 people. Population in research entire society who bought a Motor Beat in 2022. The results of this research showed that the Muara Bulian National Housing Society stated good of the quality of the Motor Beat product. Society considered that the price of the Motor Beat Beingwas in the affordable category, and society considered that purchasing decision a Beat motorbike was appropriate, and product quality and price influenced the decision to purchase a Beat motorbike by 77.0%

Cooperative housing under a grant-of-use in Catalonia and health: pre-post analysis

BackgroundHousing is considered a social determinant of health. In Catalonia and Spain, ensuring affordable housing is challenging and cooperative housing under a grant-of-use emerges as an alternative, challenging traditional housing models. This study aims to quantify its impact on health before and after moving to the cooperative house.MethodsA longitudinal study of individuals in cooperative housing projects in Catalonia (July 2018-April 2023) was conducted. Data, including sociodemographic, housing information, and health-related details, were collected through baseline and follow-up surveys.ResultsSeventy participants (42 women, 28 men) showed positive changes in housing conditions during follow-up. Improved perceptions of health, mental health, and social support were observed. Despite limitations in sample size and short follow-up, initial findings suggest improvements in health.ConclusionsCooperative housing under a grant-of-use in Catalonia appears promising for improving health and living conditions. Further research is warranted to explore its full potential as an alternative amid housing challenges in the region.