Bewohnergenossenschaft FriedrichsHeim eG is a housing cooperative established in December 1996 in Berlin-Friedrichshain. The registration as a cooperative took place in April 1997. Originating during Berlin's efforts to address legacy debts from the city’s housing stock, the cooperative acquired 13 unsanitary apartment buildings from the municipal housing company between 1997 and 1999.
Through resident involvement and some hands-on renovations, extensive refurbishments were carried out. Notable improvements include solar hot water systems and rainwater harvesting. Accessibility was also improved with the creation of a wheelchair-friendly unit. Today, the cooperative manages approximately 566 dwellings and four commercial units spread across six late-19th-century buildings, five brick constructions from the 1950s, and two WBS70 prefab complexes, all located within Friedrichshain. The membership numbers around 800.
The cooperative has focused both on technical upgrades and social cohesion. In its formative years, a priority was to reduce vacancy rates—by 2007, the buildings were fully let. Democratic participation underpins the cooperative’s decisions, leading to both the targeted development of housing stock and close collaboration with social and cultural organizations. A current example of responding to members’ wishes is the planning of a new construction project on cooperative land, with aims to provide housing suitable for families and older residents.
FriedrichsHeim eG is marked by self-management, local initiatives, and regular modernization, all designed to meet the needs of its members and maintain livable housing in a changing urban district.