Opinion

Dan and Katherine are members of E16 CLT, and just returned from a group study trip to Zurich where they learnt about the important role housing co-operatives play in providing secure, affordable community led housing. We asked them what key lessons could be learnt from Zurich.

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1. Scaled up community-led housing is possible when the support is there

Out of 220,000 Zurich homes, 39,000 belong to housing co-operatives, which means 17.7% of all housing is community-led and owned by co-op members. How is this possible? Well, a big factor is that the city of Zurich is very supportive of housing co-ops and so are the Zurich Canton (the regional government). The city works with housing co-ops, by identifying land that could be developed and inviting co-ops to submit ideas. They don’t ask for huge upfront payments on the land, instead the co-op pays an annual sum (linked to the value of the land and what they built) for the lease which usually lasts 70 years.

The city makes sure the housing is good quality by requiring architectural competitions are held and ensuring strict environmental regulations that are kept to. Working together like this means that co-ops can charge a ‘cost-rent’, so tenants pay the exact cost necessary and no profit is made.

In addition to this, finance is easier to raise. Due to co-ops prevalence and success, banks do not see them as a high risk and will lend to co-ops with as little as 7% of the capital. Investment is also available from public pension funds and sometimes co-ops invest in each other. This level of support means the sector is thriving.

 

2. You can combine lots of different types of housing successfully

We toured two housing co-ops in Zurich – Mehr As Wohnen and Kalkebreite. Both co-ops have a mix of housing that reflects the different needs of people within the community. For example, they mixed family housing, flat shares aimed at younger people and ‘cluster flats’ aimed towards older people who don’t want to live alone. In these cluster flats, residents have one or two private rooms and bathroom, and share a large living area and kitchen. These were also easily adapted for the benefit of disabled residents who wanted to live with others. In total, over 100 people are living like this in Mehr As Wohnen co-op. In Kalkebreite co-op, they also have what they call ‘Joker Rooms’ in the block which tenants can rent for anything between 6 months and 4 years. These rooms prevent overcrowding when a family member come stay, or can help adult children live semi-independently in the same building.

Co-ops do not make a surplus and provide most of their housing at an affordable ‘cost-rent’. Social housing is subsidised by the state and the co-op work with organisations to provide specialist, accessible housing. All of this within one development. 

3. Co-ops provide much more than just housing

The two co-ops we visited offered more than housing, with non-residential space dedicated to work and social uses. They have offices (Greenpeace have an office in Kalkebreite), cafes, a bakery, shops and meeting spaces for local people and residents to use. Kalkebreite also had four ‘Box Rooms’, simple rooms in the corridor of a block where residents get to choose what they were used for. They include a kids room as well as space for fitness, yoga and sewing. Kalkebreite co-op has around 250 residents and another 250 people working there. They also have a large square open for the public to enjoy alongside residents and workers. Each co-op also had an array of shared facilities, like laundry rooms, a library, sauna or bike park and were able to provide energy to the co-op by installing solar panels on the roofs.

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E16 CLT was established in 2018 by the People’s Empowerment Alliance for Custom House (PEACH), a resident-led response to the proposed regeneration of Custom House.

Read more about their organisation here

by: Levent Kerimol

With growing interest in Community Led Housing (CLH), councils and public authorities are making land and opportunities available. Sometimes they have entered direct arrangements with a single CLH organisation, some have decided to run selection processes for CLH groups.

But which approach is best? The public sector tends to opt for a selection process, whilst for many groups, the idea of competing for land against one another seems contrary to the spirit of community led housing.

Characterisations of “the community” as a singular entity, ignore the fact that we are all part of a series of complex and overlapping communities. Communities may be geographic, intentional or demographic, cutting across borough boundaries. Even geographical areas may overlap at different scales. Community Led Housing involves a participatory choice to devote time and effort to a housing organisation, and people may be members of either one, several or no CLH organisations.

This makes it difficult to prescribe a clear route, and instead requires a common sense and nuanced approach.

At Marklake Court in Bermondsey, the site was identified by residents and Leathermarket JMB, the estate’s Tenants’ Management Organisation (TMO). Southwark Council made it available without a selection process, as the TMO has a local and clearly defined geography and are already accountable to residents. It would have been non-sensical to advertise the site to other CLH organisations.

It is a similar story for Neighbourhood Forums, their geographic boundaries are evaluated and assessed by the local authority. Sometimes they are asked to work with others in the area, or their boundaries separated, to ensure there is a clear singular community arrangement. There have been several natural progressions for effective and inclusive Neighbourhood Forums to move onto housing delivery, and here again, it doesn’t seem sensible to select other communities.

Then there are CLH organisations, such as the St Ann’s Redevelopment Trust, that exist entirely around a single identified site. These organisations are very local and geographic in character and not interested in other sites. They typically identify the site that is of particular interest and seek partnership with public bodies. The specificity of these cases can mean light touch sifting and dialogue may be more appropriate.

It is of course prudent for public bodies to ensure the organisation has the capability and credibility to deliver what is required, but this can be done without the pretence of a selection process, by drawing on support from CLH London and others.

In many other cases, sites are outside the local geographic area of an interested CLH group, and a selection process is sensible. With enough notice, soft market testing, or consultation, it may also be a way of ensuring any latent local desires to start a CLH organisation are explored.

Selection processes should be focused and proportionate, and clearly define the terms and what public bodies are looking for, appreciating the effort required by people. The GLA’s Small Sites x Small Builders programme offers a simple process with standardised terms and delivery controls, which can be focused specifically to support the emerging sector and delivery model. Both TfL and Croydon Council have used this approach recently meaning start-up groups with relatively little access to capital in the early stages, are not competing against more established developers.

Similarly, CLH groups don’t need to feel daunted by the idea of “bidding for sites”. After all, it is not unusual to have application processes for other limited resources such as funding or bank loans. It is all part of the learning required to build and manage housing. The process can bring some discipline and resolution to ideas, and even groups who miss out can come back better prepared for future opportunities.

Although the word “bidding” appears to place an emphasis on financial offers, it is more than likely public bodies and even private landowners will have a range of aspirations from a process, including the credibility and likelihood of delivery, as well as affordability, sustainability and other social value.

 

photo: © StART are deeply connected to the site, regularly going out to sketch and paint its many trees