Wiener Wohnbaugenossenschaften is a regional association of housing cooperatives operating primarily in Vienna and its surroundings. The organisation serves as a hub for genossenschaftliche—that is, cooperative—housing developments in and around Vienna. Its key function is to represent the interests of its member cooperatives, provide access to shared resources, disseminate information, and offer services to both member organisations and residents. The association acts as an interface between its members, the public, and the broader realm of non-profit housing in Austria.
The website provides historical context, noting that Vienna’s tradition of cooperative and non-profit housing stretches back to the early 20th century. These housing cooperatives were founded in response to acute housing shortages, most heavily during and after World War I. The cooperative model was adopted to ensure affordable, decent-quality accommodation outside speculative markets, explicitly serving broad segments of the population.
Today, over 180,000 apartments in Vienna are managed by non-profit housing associations, including cooperatives. The Wiener Wohnbaugenossenschaften coordinates among several dozen such organisations, whose current portfolios cover a wide range of housing—spanning historic multistorey buildings to recently developed low-energy estates.
A recent example of its work is the “Wohnprojekt Wien” in the 2nd district, which combines collective ownership with ecological and social priorities. Apart from new residential construction, current activities include consulting, tenant participation workshops, and collaboration with city planners to adapt to demographic shifts and changing urban needs.
The association is structured as a collective of member entities rather than a centralised property developer. It does not own but instead supports a network providing an alternative to the rental sector for thousands of residents each year.