What is a housing co-operative?
A housing co-operative is a community of people who voluntarily work together to meet their common need for affordable and sustainable housing. Members live in separate dwellings but actively participate in the management of the housing co-op as a whole, and enjoy the many benefits this type of housing offers.
Why is K&DCCA talking about housing co-operatives?
For some years now, K&DCCA has been tirelessly searching for a solution to ageing-in-place withing the Kilkivan, Tansey, Woolooga and Goomeri district. While people are assisted to stay in their own homes as they age through government initiatives such as home care packages and community health services, for many there comes a time when they want to down-size into a home more manageable within their community.
This option is not available in this district. A private developer may buy a parcel of land and develop units on it, but they would be for sale or rent at a market price – making it unaffordable to many.
There is no government funding to build ageing-in-place housing for people that own their own home, part of a home, a share in a property or even just a block of land! All avenues of funding for the Rise & Shine Housing development pillar of our operations have been exhausted.
The only available option to explore is co-housing or housing co-operatives. Whereby a group of like-minded people with a problem to solve get together and make it happen.
Housing Co-operative Presentation – 7 August 2024
This is the presentation about housing co-operatives delivered by Andrea Ferris at the Senior’s Social Hub gathering on 7 August 2024. (Click on the picture and the slides will advance).
Housing cooperatives by Andrea FerrisThe Western Australian Project – Kyloring
This is a link to the website of the Kyloring Housing Co-operative that was mentioned by Andrea Ferris during her presentation on 1 August. This site is particularly useful with a lot of information that relates to the basics of co-operative housing and how it relates to seniors.
Some useful research & reading links
- A Complete Guide to Senior Co-op Housing in 2024 – This is a good site that explains how a senior’s co-op works in America.
- The first senior co-housing community in the UK.
- An age-friendly living: Senior co-housing communities and ageing-in-place (Netherlands)
- Co-operatives in Australia – A Manual – The Co-op Federation
- The Value of Housing Co-operatives in Australia – Technical Report – 126 pages
- An article about housing cooperatives on SBS.
- How Feasible is a New Generation of Housing Co-operatives in Australia? – Property Collectives Report
How Co-Housing Can Make us Happier and Live Longer
Watch
The first senior’s housing cooperative in the UK
Senior Cohousing_The Way to Do It SUBS from New Ground Co-Housing on Vimeo.