In June 2023, a session was organized by urbaMonde and NETCO at the International Social Housing Festival in Barcelona, focusing on the promotion of affordable Collaborative Housing (CH) by local governments across Europe. This initiative highlights the importance of social housing and public interest in fostering innovative housing solutions.
Collaborative Housing is characterized as a community-led, bottom-up initiative, which is essential for enabling groups to purchase land or renovate existing buildings. Such projects often struggle in cities lacking public support, making governmental involvement crucial to ensure affordability and prevent speculation. Experience shows that CH projects typically achieve high environmental quality and energy efficiency, often exceeding current standards. They also strive to create a diverse mix of households, often including vulnerable populations like asylum seekers and single mothers, although the diversity is contingent on the availability of public funding to assist low-income households.
Local governments in cities like Barcelona, Brussels, Lyon, and Vienna provide support for CH projects when households meet social housing criteria, such as income thresholds. Recognizing non-profit developers as social housing providers allows them to access subsidies and tax reductions. Collaborative housing groups may partner with institutional developers to create mixed projects, combining social rental and cooperative ownership. Public land can be sold at reduced prices or leased at symbolic rents, further facilitating affordable housing initiatives.
In Vienna, Collaborative Housing projects receive benefits from housing subsidies and concept tendering procedures, which allow groups to compete for land specifically allocated for subsidized housing. This process helps to ensure social mixing and affordability in high-demand areas. The Gleis21 project serves as an example of a successful CH initiative that combines subsidized housing with community facilities open to the neighborhood.
France's Habitat Participatif network has been established to support CH groups and promote their integration into the housing sector. Although there is criticism regarding the lack of social diversity in some projects, the network advocates for public policies that reduce costs and development times to include more vulnerable groups. Current CH projects often involve collaboration between citizens and professionals, emphasizing sustainability and long-term management.
Brussels has seen the emergence of the Community Land Trust (CLT) model, which aims to create permanent, affordable homes for low-income families. The region has provided legislative support and financial subsidies to facilitate the development of affordable housing through the CLT model. Over 100 dwellings have been constructed, with more projects underway.
In The Hague, there is an urgent need for affordable housing, particularly for vulnerable groups. The city has initiated a CH program to foster social cohesion and collective ownership among residents. It aims to create 100 social homes through CH each year, with a significant budget allocated for this purpose.
Barcelona has adopted a unique approach to promote Collaborative Housing, focusing on non-profit cooperatives and community land trusts. The city has implemented policies to provide land at low or no cost, along with financial backing from public banks. These initiatives aim to address the critical housing shortage while ensuring high environmental standards.
Overall, the session underscored the potential benefits of Collaborative Housing for cities, emphasizing community involvement, environmental sustainability, and social diversity. The success of such initiatives relies heavily on mutual trust between collaborative housing groups and public authorities, alongside well-structured support mechanisms.