What is co-operative and community-led housing?

Co-operative and community-led housing means bringing people together to decide what kind of homes and communities they want to live in. People with a shared vision can come together and have an influential voice. They play an essential role alongside councils, developers and investors to create affordable homes which meet local community needs.

Co-operative and community-led housing comes in many shapes and sizes. Small groups of friends buying a house to share, leaseholders setting up a tenant management committee, community members buying local land on which to develop new housing, and people who want to develop sustainable homes – these are all examples.

People have more control of where they live, and work with others to achieve a shared goal. Communities create homes.

Ownership and control

Co-operative and community-led housing involves local people in housing decisions – so the outcomes are often more successful.

• Having a voice in the development and management of homes gives residents a sense of empowerment, pride and ownership
• Communities become more resilient and develop the capacity to tackle a range of issues that affect them
• Anti-social behaviour is reduced
• Residents feel happier being part of a supportive community  satisfied

Homes are built in areas where they are needed – often this is in places which commercial developers wouldn’t consider for housing.

• This improves housing supply and the provision of affordable housing
• Areas which have fallen into decline can be regenerated and empty homes are returned to use
• Small, tricky sites can be put to good use
• The pressure on green space is reduced through shared communal spaces
• More people can enjoy the benefits of home ownership, with a supportive safety net