CO-OPERATIVE HOUSING

What is a housing co-operative?

A housing co-operative is an association of people who collectively own and govern their housing on a not-for-profit basis. Co-operative principles accord closely with the idea of 'UBUNTU', well established in South Africa.

Why housing co-operatives?

By working together, members of a co-operative can provide themselves with better and more affordable housing than they could as individuals. Within the housing sector, co-operative housing meets the particular need of people wishing to build a community, have a say over how their housing is managed and promote a culture of democracy. A housing co-operative differs from other forms of tenure in that residents share responsibility, ownership and governance of their homes.

Is there support for co-operative housing in South Africa?

National government support was outlined in President Thabo Mbeki's opening address to Parliament in June 1999: "The government will also place more emphasis on the development of the co-operative movement to combine the financial, labour and other resources among the masses of the people to rebuild our communities and engage the people in their own development through sustainable economic activity." Government commitment continues with a new Co-operative Bill designed to assist this sector to flourish throughout South Africa.

Social Housing Foundation (SHF): champions the cause of housing co-operatives by assisting in shaping government policy in the Co-operative Bill and by building capacity in the co-operative sector.

South African Housing Co-operatives Association (SAHCA): an apex body which unites, represents and provides leadership to housing co-operatives throughout South Africa.

National Department of Housing: in conjunction with the Norwegian government, is funding a co-operative housing programme to help develop a thriving co-operative housing sector in South Africa.

Provincial Departments of Housing: give housing subsidies and provide an enabling environment for housing co-operatives.

Department of Trade and Industry: registers housing co-operatives, gives financial support and helps with capacity building to aid the sustainability of the co-operative sector.

Municipalities: provide land and infrastructure services, enabling housing co-operatives to emerge and be sustainable within their communities.

International agencies such as the Norwegian government, Rooftops Canada, Co-operative Housing Foundation, National co-operative Housing Union and the Swedish Co-operative Centre, give funds and technical assistance to the South African co-operative housing movement.

Supporting Products and Tools

Co-Operative Housing Workshop Notes
Co-Operative Housing Workshop Gallery

Supporting Documents

Housing Co-operatives

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